The World Rally Championship is finally heading back to the USA for the first time since 1988, anchoring a massive 15-event calendar for 2027 that pushes the series into uncharted territory. According to Autosport, cracking the lucrative North American market has been a target for over a decade, and after a successful candidate event in June, the championship is ready to make its move.
The American round is locked in for 26-29 August, taking on gravel roads across Tennessee and Kentucky based out of Knoxville. Talk of this comeback really heated up back in 2022 with a test event planned in Chattanooga for 2023. A 2026 slot was initially targeted with backing from WRC Promoter, but the decision was made alongside the Automobile Competition Committee of the US (ACCUS, the US’s FIA national sporting authority) to push it to 2027 to ensure the event launches right. WRC’s new chief operating officer Julien Vial explained the process in a media roundtable, noting strong support from the FIA and the ASN to build a proper show complete with a big ceremonial start while respecting the DNA of rallying.
FIA deputy president for sport Malcolm Wilson pointed out that the monumental effort to crack the US market was likely one of the driving forces behind Ford coming back to the WRC from 2028. This expansion to 15 rounds is the first time the calendar has reached that size since 2008. The decision was driven not just by the US market's importance, but also by new technical regulations introducing a €345,000 car cost cap that brings expenses down to a more accessible level for teams.
Not everyone is entirely thrilled with every aspect of the schedule, though. The 2027 season will once again wrap up with a punishing run of seven consecutive gravel events. Drivers have previously slammed this structure because the championship leader gets stuck sweeping the loose roads on Friday with zero asphalt rounds to break up the sequence. Vial admitted that flexibility for 2027 was limited due to the deal being finalized in August, though adding a tarmac event late in the year to balance out the gravel effect is something they are eyeing for the long-term perspective.
Format tweaks are also on the horizon. While the classic Thursday-to-Sunday routine stays largely in place for 2027, the promoter wants to shift roughly 25 percent of events to a one stage, two pass format on Sunday—a structure tested in Finland and Estonia—before expanding it further in 2028. Meanwhile, Estonia (22-25 July) and Finland (29 July - 1 August) are being jammed together into a tight two-week double header. Vial noted this is a bold test to improve storytelling and see if teams can prep the same cars across back-to-back weekends without a full week off in between.
Finally, looking toward the season-ending destination, Rally Saudi Arabia is proceeding as planned for November. This year's planned visit had to be cut short and wasn't replaced due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but the FIA is supporting a Middle East Rally Championship round there this year to pave the way. As FIA road sport director Abel put it, things are progressing as scheduled while noting that the championship does not operate with a backup event.
