The Dakar Rally, the gruelling off-road endurance race, will not be held in Saudi Arabia for its 2027 edition due to "recent developments in the region", organisers have announced. The Amaury Sport Organisation and Saudi Motorsport Company said in a statement Sunday that the event, scheduled for January 2027, will take place in a different location, to be announced in the coming days, with a planned return to the kingdom in 2028 for its 50th edition.
The move is the latest in a series of major sports events to be relocated or postponed from Saudi Arabia this year amid the US-Israel war on Iran and deadly Houthi attacks on the kingdom. The final round of the World Rally Championship scheduled for next month has been scrapped, and this season's Formula One grand prix in Jeddah was cancelled. The WTA Finals, originally due in Riyadh, will instead be held at Indian Wells, California.
Dakar Rally organisers had hoped to keep the 2027 race in Saudi Arabia by working on a new route in the north of the country. But a series of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month, which killed 18 people and injured hundreds, made that impossible, the statement said.
Specialist race media reports suggest Morocco or Spain are being considered as alternative hosts. A move to Morocco would be the first time the Dakar has been held in Africa since 2007. The rally began as a competition from Paris to Senegal's capital, Dakar. It was cancelled on short notice in 2008 over security concerns in North Africa, then held in South America before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2020.
The statement said organisers intend to bring the rally back to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to celebrate its 50th edition. The war in Yemen has escalated sharply in recent weeks, with Houthi fighters seizing strategic territory from forces loyal to the internationally recognised government along the Red Sea coast, and intensifying attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The relocation deals a blow to Saudi Arabia's image as a destination for global sporting events, part of its Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy.
- The Houthi attacks are disrupting not only sports but also businesses, airlines and civilian life in the kingdom, the world's biggest exporter of crude oil.
- The cancellation of multiple events raises questions about the security of hosting major competitions in the region.
Background
The Dakar Rally has a history of adapting to security concerns. It was cancelled in 2008 due to threats in North Africa and moved to South America. It found a home in Saudi Arabia since 2020, but the current conflict in Yemen, which has seen Houthi forces attack Saudi territory, has now forced another temporary relocation. Fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has intensified across multiple fronts, causing a spiralling humanitarian crisis.
What to Watch
- Where the 2027 rally will be held: organisers promise an announcement in the "coming days", with Morocco or Spain the leading candidates.
- Whether the rally does return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 as planned, and if security conditions improve by then.
- The fate of other events in the region, including the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Formula One races and the Qatar MotoGP, which remain on the calendar but are subject to intense internal debate.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Dakar Rally has been moved out of Saudi Arabia for its 2027 edition amid conflict in the Middle East.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Dakar Rally, one of the world’s toughest and best-known off-road races, has been moved out of Saudi Arabia for the 2027 edition due to the “recent developments in the region”, organisers say.”
- SupportedOrganisers say the 2027 rally will be held in a different territory, with a return to Saudi Arabia planned for 2028.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The rally, scheduled for January, will now be held “in a different territory” to be announced later before a planned return to Saudi Arabia in 2028, the Amaury Sport Organisation and Saudi Motorsport Company said in a statement on Sunday.”
- SupportedOrganisers attributed the move to “recent developments in the region”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The Dakar Rally, one of the world’s toughest and best-known off-road races, has been moved out of Saudi Arabia for the 2027 edition due to the “recent developments in the region”, organisers say.”
- SupportedThe rally is scheduled for January 2027, with a new location to be announced in the coming days.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The rally, scheduled for January, will now be held “in a different territory” to be announced later before a planned return to Saudi Arabia in 2028, the Amaury Sport Organisation and Saudi Motorsport Company said in a statement on Sunday. A new location will be announced in the “coming days”, the statement added.”
- SupportedOrganisers plan to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for the rally’s 50th edition.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Organisers said they intend to bring the rally back to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to celebrate its 50th edition.”
- SupportedThe move is the latest in a series of sports events moved out of Saudi Arabia this year over the US-Israel war on Iran and deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “It’s the latest in a series of sports events to be moved out of Saudi Arabia this year over the US-Israel war on Iran and deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia.”
- SupportedThe final round of the World Rally Championship scheduled for next month has been scrapped, and this season’s Jeddah Formula One grand prix was cancelled.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “This season’s Formula One grand prix in Jeddah was cancelled ... The final round of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia next month has also been scrapped.”
- SupportedThe WTA Finals, scheduled for Riyadh, will instead be held at Indian Wells, California.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The WTA Finals were also scheduled to be held in Riyadh next month but will instead take place at Indian Wells, California, in the United States.”
- SupportedDakar organisers had considered keeping the 2027 race in Saudi Arabia by developing a route in the north of the country.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Dakar Rally organisers had hoped to keep the 2027 race in Saudi Arabia by working on a new route in the northern part of the country.”
- SupportedAttacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport this month killed 18 people and injured hundreds.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “But the latest strikes, including a series of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month, which killed 18 people and injured hundreds more, have rendered that impossible.”
- Partly supportedThe airport attacks made keeping the race in Saudi Arabia impossible, according to the organisers’ statement.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “But the latest strikes, including a series of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month, which killed 18 people and injured hundreds more, have rendered that impossible.”
- Partly supportedThe war in Yemen escalated sharply in recent weeks as Houthi fighters seized territory and intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has intensified across multiple fronts in Yemen in recent weeks ... The war in Yemen escalated sharply when the Houthis seized strategic territory from forces loyal to the country’s internationally recognised government along the Red Sea coast last month.”