The 2027 edition of the Dakar Rally Raid now has a new home, split between Europe and Africa. Here are all the details.
We told you about the departure from Saudi Arabia (apparently just for 2027) of the Dakar, which clearly had to find a solution straight away to ensure the event could go ahead. Official confirmation has arrived today: the legendary rally raid will take place from January 9 to 23, 2027, half in Europe and half in Africa. In many ways, it’s a return to the event’s roots, to the regions that inspired Thierry Sabine to conceive the competition, which officially began in 1978 and was certainly very different from the event we know today. Of course, back then it was the Paris-Dakar; this time, the rally will start in Portugal and finish in Morocco. But for this exceptional edition, it will once again span the two continents where it all began. Here are the details.
Dakar 2027: the new route
This is clearly not a last-minute solution for such a major event; the organizers had evidently been working on a backup plan for some time, as it has become necessary given the situation in the Middle East. While MotoGP and F1 will still go ahead there (for the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix), the Dakar has decided to leave the region this year and head elsewhere. The event that has become the opening round of the FIA and FIM Rally-Raid World Championships will therefore follow this new route.
The 49th edition will kick off the 2027 FIA and FIM Rally-Raid World Championships. This opening round will consist of a prologue followed by twelve special stages, from January 9 to 23, between Loulé-Faro in Portugal and Marrakech in Morocco. The Algarve will host the prologue and the first special stage. The latter, on January 10, will be truly unusual: en route, competitors will transfer to the port for the crossing to Nador, Morocco. They will cross the Mediterranean overnight, arriving on the African continent on January 11 before setting off again from the bivouac in Bouarfa. From there, Morocco will host eleven special stages from north to south, as well as a rest day in Agadir. Six different bivouacs along the 7,824 km route, including 4,341 km of special stages, provide all the ingredients for a thrilling competition. Or, as race director David Castera put it, “no compromises.”
Dakar race director’s statement
"The 49th edition of the Dakar, relocated to a new home, will uphold the sporting standards that have always made it the toughest rally-raid event. Despite the short time available to us, we have put together a true Dakar. The ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal) is supporting us in Portugal, where its FIA-FIM Rally-Raid World Championship round has been a fixture on the calendar since 2024. And in Morocco, our experience across the country, combined with the operational expertise of our in-house teams, allows us to go far beyond the formats previously held there: competitors will discover the Kingdom from one end to the other. We will explore all its distinctive features on a route of unprecedented scale.
Here, too, the country’s experience hosting major international events, along with the quality of its infrastructure, will be invaluable in helping us deliver a first-class Dakar for everyone. We are already grateful for the loyalty of the competitors who have chosen in such large numbers to join us on this new adventure (350 have already entered to date). We can also count on the support of the media and our partners, who have reaffirmed their commitment to 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 50th edition celebration in Saudi Arabia."
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