After news broke that the 2027 Dakar Rally would not be held in Saudi Arabia, the ASO confirmed that the event will relocate to Europe and Africa for 2027, before returning to Saudi for the 50th edition of the race in 2028. The 49th running of the Dakar will kick off the 2027 season of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and takes place from January 9 to January 23. The route consists of a prologue followed by twelve stages from Loulé-Faro in Portugal to Marrakech in Morocco.
The 30,000-seat Algarve Stadium in the southernmost district of Portugal will host the prologue and the first special stage while the other 11 stages are set to take place in Morocco. Stage one includes a transfer to the port of Nador, Morocco with the Mediterranean crossing taking place overnight.
Over 350 entires have already been confirmed for this year’s race which features a 4861.6 mile route with 2697 of those miles (57%) being special stages. Six different bivouacs will host racers along this year’s race with most stages ranging from 220 and 310 miles.
“The relocated 49th edition of the Dakar will meet the sporting standards that have always made it the most demanding rally-raid event,” said Dakar director David Castera. “Despite the short timeframe we have had to work with, we have designed a true Dakar. The ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal) is supporting us in Portugal, having established its round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship as a cornerstone of the season since 2024. And in Morocco, our expertise across the entire territory, combined with the operational capabilities of our internal teams, allows us to go far beyond the formats previously offered in the country: competitors will discover the Kingdom from one end to the other. We will explore all its distinctive features through a route of unprecedented scale. Here too, the country’s expertise in hosting major international events, as well as the quality of its infrastructure, will be invaluable in enabling us to offer everyone a truly first-class Dakar. We are already grateful for the loyalty of the competitors who are overwhelmingly choosing to follow us on this new adventure (350 already registered to date). They will also be able to count on the support of the media and our partners, who are reaffirming their commitment alongside us in these exceptional circumstances. As usual, the Dakar will be broadcast in more than 190 countries around the world. The adventure continues, as do preparations for the historic celebration of the 50th edition in Saudi Arabia.”
