Dakar Rally 2027 exits Saudi Arabia as regional conflict deepens
Organizers relocated the January race after Houthi strikes killed 18 people at Riyadh's King Khalid Airport, with a new venue to be named soon.
By Tomas Rahman ·
The 2027 Dakar Rally will not be held in Saudi Arabia, organizers confirmed on Sunday.
The Amaury Sport Organisation and the Saudi Motorsport Company stated that "recent developments in the region" forced the change. The event, originally scheduled for January, will move to a "different territory" that has not yet been named. Organizers plan to announce the specific location in the coming days.
This marks the end of a six-year run in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has hosted the rally since 2020. Specialist race media report that Morocco or Spain are potential hosts. A move to Morocco would mark the first time the race has taken place in Africa since 2007. The competition originally ran from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, before shifting to South America in 2008 due to security concerns.
The decision follows a series of cancellations for major sporting events in the region this year. These shifts are linked to the US-Israel war on Iran and deadly attacks by Yemen's Houthis. The Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah was cancelled, while the Bahrain race was moved to Malaysia. The final World Rally Championship round in Saudi Arabia, set for next month, has also been scrapped. An exhibition tennis event featuring Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev was postponed to late December. The WTA Finals, previously set for Riyadh, will now take place in Indian Wells, California.
Organizers had attempted to keep the 2027 rally in Saudi Arabia by planning a new route in the northern part of the country. That plan became unworkable after a series of strikes on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month. The attacks killed 18 people and injured hundreds. Organizers intend to return the rally to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to mark its 50th edition.
Fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has intensified across multiple fronts in Yemen in recent weeks. This escalation has caused a spiralling humanitarian crisis. Last month, Houthis seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast from forces loyal to the internationally recognised government. The attacks on Saudi Arabia, which leads the coalition supporting Yemen's government, have disrupted businesses, airlines, and daily life. The strikes have also damaged the international image of the world's largest crude oil exporter.
Source: Al Jazeera
