Dakar Rally Leaves Saudi Arabia

The 2027 Dakar Rally will no longer run on Saudi soil. Organizers announced the change on Sunday, citing recent regional developments that made the January event untenable in the kingdom. The decision ends the current hosting cycle in Saudi Arabia, which has held the race since 2020. The Amaury Sport Organisation and the Saudi Motorsport Company confirmed the rally will move to a different territory. They stated the specific location will be revealed in the coming days.

The immediate trigger was a series of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month. These strikes killed 18 people and injured hundreds more. Organizers had previously attempted to keep the 2027 race in Saudi Arabia by designing a new route in the northern part of the country. The latest violence made that plan impossible. Specialist race media report that Morocco and Spain are now under consideration as replacements. A move to Morocco would return the event to Africa for the first time since 2007.

The organizers confirmed a planned return to Saudi Arabia in 2028. They intend for that edition to mark the rally's 50th running. The race began as a route from Paris to Dakar, Senegal. It was called off in 2008 due to security concerns in North Africa before moving to South America and eventually to Saudi Arabia. The 2028 date in Saudi Arabia serves as a symbolic milestone for the event's long history.

This exit is part of a wider pattern of sporting events leaving Saudi Arabia due to the US-Israel war on Iran and Houthi attacks. The Formula One grand prix in Jeddah was cancelled this year. The Bahrain race was also called off and later rescheduled in Malaysia. The final round of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia next month has been scrapped. An exhibition tennis event featuring Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Alexander Zverev was postponed until late December. The WTA Finals, originally planned for Riyadh next month, will now be played at Indian Wells, California.

Other major events remain on the schedule despite internal debate. The final two Formula One races of the season are set for Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi on December 6. Next month's Qatar MotoGP is also still listed on the calendar. These events are reportedly the subject of intense internal discussion regarding safety and logistics.

The conflict in Yemen has intensified in recent weeks, deepening a humanitarian crisis. Last month, Houthi fighters seized strategic territory along the Red Sea coast from forces loyal to the internationally recognised government. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition backing those government forces. The Houthi attacks have disrupted businesses, airlines, and daily life in the kingdom. The strikes have also damaged the international image of the world's biggest crude oil exporter.