Dakar announces Portugal and Morocco as 2027 host destinations
The 2027 Dakar Rally has been relocated to Portugal and Morocco, with the war in West Asia preventing Saudi Arabia from hosting the event as originally planned. Having been originally scheduled to begin on New Year’s Day, the 49th edition of Dakar will now run from 7-23 January and traverse two continents, bringing the marathon back to its roots in Europe and Africa. As per the new route ... Keep…
The 2027 Dakar Rally has been relocated to Portugal and Morocco after repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Houthi rebels. Portugal will host the prologue and initial stage, while Morocco will host the remaining 11 stages covering nearly 8,000 kilometers, including 4,341 kilometers of special stages. This marks the first time since 2007 that the rally will return to Africa.
Race director David Castera praised the organizers for creating a "real Dakar" despite the short turnaround. The rally, which originally followed a route from Paris to Dakar, was moved to South America in 2009 and Saudi Arabia starting in 2020 due to security threats. However, ongoing Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, including one targeting Riyadh airport that killed 13 people, have forced the switch back to Morocco.
The event organizers hope to bring the rally back to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th anniversary. This move is the latest in a series of sporting events affected by conflict in the Middle East, including postponed tennis tournaments, canceled Formula One races, and a cancelled World Rally Championship race in Saudi Arabia.
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