That iconic gravel beast is stepping away for a year. According to Motorsport.com Italia, Rally Portugal will not feature on the WRC calendar for the 2027 season, despite organizers already having a date locked in.
Here is the thing: the event held by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) is a foundational pillar of the championship. It has hosted a round since the inaugural 1973 season and only sat out during a brief pause from 2002 to 2006.
Only last year, organizers secured a new three-year agreement guaranteeing its spot through 2028. The rally was expected to take over a new venue on the weekend of May 13-16. Instead, the WRC promoter altered plans to make the championship more geographically and intercontinentally diverse, leaving Portugal out in the cold.
"Già con una data fissata tra il 13 e il 16 maggio, a seguito delle modifiche apportate dal promotore nell’ultimo giorno di preparazione per la prossima stagione del WRC, con l’obiettivo di renderlo il più diversificato possibile dal punto di vista geografico e intercontinentale, il Rally del Portogallo è una delle gare la cui programmazione ha risentito di questa scelta," explained the rally organizers in a public statement.
Thankfully, the story does not end there. Initial talks have already kicked off between the Automóvel Club de Portugal and the WRC promoter to evaluate bringing the beloved gravel rally back into the fold for 2028.
Meanwhile, the WRC is wrapping up its 2027 calendar plans. That upcoming schedule is rumored to bring three brand-new stops to the championship, with Roma in Italy, Scotland, and the United States all anticipated to join.
