Dakar Rally Shifts from Saudi Arabia for 2027 Amid Regional Instability

The Dakar Rally, renowned as one of the world's most demanding off-road races, will not be held in Saudi Arabia for its 2027 edition. Organizers cited "recent developments in the region" as the reason for the change. The rally, originally slated for January, will now take place in an undisclosed "different territory" before a planned return to Saudi Arabia in 2028. The Amaury Sport Organisation and Saudi Motorsport Company announced this shift on Sunday, with a new location to be revealed in the "coming days." This decision follows a pattern of sports events being relocated from Saudi Arabia this year due to escalating regional conflicts, including the US-Israel war on Iran and Houthi attacks originating from Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has been the host nation for the Dakar Rally since 2020. Reports from specialist race media suggest Morocco or Spain as potential alternative venues. A move to Morocco would mark the Dakar's return to Africa for the first time since 2007, recalling the event's origins as a race from Paris to Dakar, Senegal. The rally was previously cancelled in 2008 due to security concerns in North Africa, subsequently relocating to South America before its move to Saudi Arabia.

Organizers have expressed their intention to bring the rally back to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to commemorate its 50th anniversary. This relocation impacts other major sporting events; the Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah was cancelled this season, and the Bahrain race was called off and later rescheduled under the same name in Malaysia. The final round of the World Rally Championship, scheduled for Saudi Arabia next month, has also been scrapped. An exhibition tennis tournament featuring prominent players like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev has been postponed until late December. The WTA Finals, initially planned for Riyadh, will now be held in Indian Wells, California. While the Formula One races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, along with the Qatar MotoGP, remain on the calendar, they are reportedly under intense internal review.

The Dakar Rally organizers had initially explored options for a new route within Saudi Arabia's northern regions for the 2027 race. However, recent strikes, including attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that resulted in casualties, have made continuing in the country untenable. The intensification of fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters in Yemen has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis and impacted Saudi Arabia's stability, affecting its businesses, airlines, and international standing as a major crude oil exporter.