Dakar Rally 2027 to be moved from Saudi Arabia
The 2027 Dakar Rally will be moved from Saudi Arabia because of “recent developments in the region”, organisers said on Sunday, following repeated attacks on the kingdom by Yemen’s Houthis. “Dakar 2027 will go ahead. The 2027 edition will take place in a different territory,” organisers said in a statement, adding that the event would still be organised by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which…
The 2027 Dakar Rally will be relocated from Saudi Arabia due to recent security concerns in the region, organizers announced on Sunday. Following a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, the rally's route through the Middle East is no longer feasible, according to the statement from the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC).
A new location, expected to be revealed soon, will likely be in Africa, marking the event's return to the continent for the first time since 2007. The rally, initially created in 1978 and formerly called the Paris-Dakar Rally, was moved to South America in 2009 due to security threats in North Africa. The decision to shift the event comes amid heightened conflict in the Middle East, with attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including Riyadh airport, prompting organizers to reconsider their plans.
Other major sporting events, such as the Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah and the World Rally Championship finale in Saudi Arabia, have also been canceled or rescheduled due to the ongoing regional unrest.
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