The Dakar Rally will move to Europe and Africa for its 49th edition in 2027, organisers have confirmed, following recent events in Saudi Arabia.
The race will be hosted across Portugal and Morocco before returning to Saudi soil in 2028 for its 50th edition. The Dakar Classic, Dakar Future Mission 1000 and Dakar Saudi Next Gen programme will follow the same shift.
The news comes just several days after the FIA confirmed the 2027 Dakar Rally would not take place in Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing crisis in the region.
The 2027 season-opener for the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships will run from 9-23 January, pending approval from the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, comprising a prologue and twelve stages between Loulé-Faro and Marrakech.
The Algarve will stage the prologue and opening special stage, before competitors cross the Mediterranean to Morocco, which will host eleven stages and a rest day in Agadir. The route covers 7,824km, including 4,341km of special stages, across six bivouacs.
Dakar director David Castera described the challenge of putting together the route at short notice.
"The relocated 49th edition of the Dakar will meet the sporting standards that have always made it the most demanding rally-raid event,” he said.
“Despite the short timeframe we have had to work with, we have designed a true Dakar.
"The ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal) is supporting us in Portugal, having established its round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship as a cornerstone of the season since 2024.
“And in Morocco, our expertise across the entire territory, combined with the operational capabilities of our internal teams, allows us to go far beyond the formats previously offered in the country: competitors will discover the Kingdom from one end to the other.
"We are already grateful for the loyalty of the competitors who are overwhelmingly choosing to follow us on this new adventure (350 already registered to date).
"The adventure continues, as do preparations for the historic celebration of the 50th edition in Saudi Arabia."
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