Havana, October 26 (RHC) – The 2027 edition of the Dakar Rally will be moved from Saudi Arabia to another country, yet to be determined, due to the security situation in the region, the Amaury Sports Organization (ASO) and the Saudi Motor Company (SMC) announced today.
In a joint statement, both entities specified that the decision, adopted exceptionally and in coordination with the Saudi Arabian Automobile Federation, has the support of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM).
The event was scheduled to take place from January 1 to 15, 2027, in the Kingdom, which will host the competition again in 2028, in a special edition coinciding with the race’s 50th anniversary.
Saudi Arabia has hosted seven consecutive editions of the rally since 2020, with routes through different regions of the country and the participation of competitors from around the world.
The organizers emphasized the continuity of their strategic alliance and their commitment to maintaining cooperation to promote motorsports in the Kingdom.
The announcement comes amid regional tensions and attacks against Saudi facilities that, according to reports, have been occurring since last week.
Other sporting competitions have also been affected. FIFA announced the postponement of the 2026 eSports World Cup, scheduled to take place in Jeddah from October 16-25, due to an assessment of the regional situation and its potential impact on logistical preparations. The organization did not specify a new date.
The decision came after the national teams of Japan and Brazil withdrew from the tournament due to security concerns.
In tennis, the third edition of the Six Kings tournament, initially scheduled for October 21-24, was postponed to December 27-30.
Meanwhile, the Asian Tour golf tour stated that it will continue to monitor the situation before the Saudi International, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November.
The 2027 AFC Asian Cup remains scheduled for January 7-February 5 in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar, pending developments in the security situation.
