Dubai: The 2027 Dakar Rally will no longer take place in Saudi Arabia as originally planned, with organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) confirming that the event will be relocated to a different territory following recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East.

Scheduled from January 1 to 15, 2027, the 49th edition of the rally will go ahead as planned, with the new host location expected to be announced in the coming days. The decision was taken in coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), with support from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

In a joint statement, A.S.O. and SMC described the move as an “exceptional and one-off” decision, adding that A.S.O.…