The Dakar Rally is packing its bags and moving out of Saudi Arabia for 2027, as Motorsport.com reports. Organisers Amaury Sport Organisation and the Saudi Motorsport Company dropped the joint statement confirming that the 2027 edition will no longer run in the Kingdom.
That said, the rally itself is not cancelled. The 49th edition of Dakar runs right on schedule from 1-15 January, and a new venue gets unveiled in the coming days. Word is that the event will likely head to Morocco, bringing the machines back to their spiritual home in Africa. Organisers are also weighing up whether to stage the Prologue in either Portugal or Spain before crossing the Alboran Sea.
According to the joint statement, the prevailing geopolitical situation in the Middle East forced this exceptional and one-off decision. The move was made in close coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, alongside backing from the FIA and the FIM. ASO is already in direct contact with competitors, teams, and partners to guide everyone through the sudden shift.
Thankfully, this is not a permanent goodbye to the Middle East. The race returns straight to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to celebrate the 50th running of the rally. Both organisations are already working toward that milestone to deliver a landmark event.
Ever since the first-ever Dakar Rally ran from Paris to Senegal's capital Dakar in 1978, this beast of an event has travelled the globe. Africa held the rally for decades before the South American era kicked off in 2009, followed by the shift to Saudi Arabia's vast deserts in 2020. Now, another chapter awaits as the racing world waits on the final destination for 2027.
