The organizers of the Dakar Rally have officially announced that the 2027 edition will take place in Portugal and Morocco, replacing the originally planned Saudi Arabia venue. This relocation comes as a direct result of the ongoing war in West Asia, which has made hosting the event in the Middle East unfeasible. Iran-aligned Houthis recently attacked several key sites in Saudi Arabia, including the Riyadh international airport, casting serious doubt on the future of the rally in the region.
Originally scheduled to begin on New Year's Day, the 49th edition will now run from January 7 to January 23. This new schedule marks a return to the event's roots in Europe and Africa, with the rally traversing two continents for the first time since it moved to Saudi Arabia in 2020 under a multi-year deal. The route will cover nearly 8,000km over two weeks, starting in Portugal where the Algarve Stadium will host the Prologue and the first full stage.
After the initial stages in Portugal, competitors will move to Morocco for the remaining nine stages of the competition. The route through the Kingdom will initially head to the south before turning north to run alongside the Atlantic Ocean, ultimately concluding in the capital city of Marrakesh. ASO had considered pairing Morocco with a European nation for several weeks, weighing both Spain and Portugal as potential starting points before selecting the latter.
David Castera, the Dakar director, stated that despite the short timeframe available for planning, the relocated event will meet the sporting standards that define the rally-raid. He highlighted the support of the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), which has hosted a round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship since 2024. Castera noted that Morocco's expertise in hosting major international events and its infrastructure will allow the organizers to offer a route of unprecedented scale, exploring the country from one end to the other.
Morocco emerged as the most obvious backup destination due to its landscape and history in rally-raid, already hosting the Rally de Marocco which serves as a frequent dress rehearsal for Dakar. This decision ends speculation regarding whether the event could proceed in Saudi Arabia amid the conflict. The rally traces its origins back to the 1970s as the Paris-Dakar Rally, traditionally starting in France and finishing in Senegal.
Sources: Autosport.