The 2027 Dakar Rally will not take place in Saudi Arabia as previously planned, with organizers announcing the event’s relocation due to escalating security concerns in the region. The rally, which had been scheduled from January 1 to 15, 2027, will proceed as the 49th edition but in a different country, according to a statement released by the event’s organizers.

The decision follows a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi territory, leading to heightened instability and safety risks. ASO, the organization responsible for the Dakar Rally alongside the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), confirmed the relocation and indicated that the new host location would be revealed shortly.

Reports from specialized motorsport media suggest the rally may return to Africa for the first time since 2007, with a potential route starting in Spain and concluding in Morocco. This would mark a return to the continent where the event originated. Created in 1979 as the Paris-Dakar Rally, the race traditionally ran from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, but security challenges in North Africa prompted a shift first to South America in 2009 and then to Saudi Arabia in 2020.

Saudi Arabia has hosted the Dakar Rally since 2020, using its expansive deserts and varied landscapes to stage the demanding multi-stage race over seven consecutive editions. Despite the relocation for next year’s event, organizers have reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to hosting the 2028 Dakar Rally.

This development reflects ongoing disruptions to major international sporting events resulting from regional conflicts and security issues. The Dakar Rally’s move underscores the broader impact of the war and related instability on the hosting capabilities of countries in the Middle East.