The FIA has officially approved the 2027 World Rally-Raid Championship calendar, confirming a five-round season stretching from the dunes of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi to South Africa, Portugal and Morocco.
Once again, there is only one place to start: Dakar.
The 49th edition of the Dakar Rally will open the championship from 1–15 January 2027, setting the tone for a season built around five very different tests of outright speed, navigation, endurance and machinery.
For the UAE, the calendar also confirms the return of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March, keeping one of the region’s longest-running international motorsport events firmly at the heart of the W2RC season.
Dakar Rally Opens the 2027 W2RC Season
The 2027 World Rally-Raid Championship will begin with its biggest event.
Running from 1–15 January, the 49th Dakar Rally will once again serve as the opening round and immediately put crews through the championship’s longest and most demanding challenge.
Dakar occupies a unique position within the W2RC. While every round contributes towards the championship, its length, terrain and relentless daily stages make January a major early test for manufacturers and crews chasing the world title.
Two weeks of competition will therefore establish the first real hierarchy of the 2027 season before the championship moves to the UAE.
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Returns in March
Round two brings the championship to the Empty Quarter for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge from 21–26 March.
The UAE round offers a very different rally-raid challenge. Massive dunes, soft sand and demanding navigation make outright speed only part of the equation, while managing the car across repeated days in the desert can be just as decisive.
Its position immediately after Dakar also creates an interesting opening phase to the championship. Two of the calendar’s major desert events will be completed within the first three months of the year, putting early pressure on teams to combine performance with reliability.
South African Safari Rally Retains Its Place
After a break of almost three months, W2RC will return from 14–19 June for the South African Safari Rally.
South Africa brings an entirely different character to the calendar. The change in terrain moves teams away from the vast dune landscapes of the opening rounds and introduces a new technical test midway through the season.
That variety remains one of the defining characteristics of the World Rally-Raid Championship. The same machinery capable of attacking Dakar and the Empty Quarter must also perform across the contrasting surfaces and conditions found in South Africa.
Portugal Starts the Final Championship Push
The fourth round of the season will take place from 21–26 September with the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal.
By this point, the championship picture should be considerably clearer.
Portugal’s inclusion keeps a European round on the calendar while also shifting the challenge towards faster tracks and a completely different rhythm compared with the desert-heavy opening phase.
With only Morocco remaining afterwards, any major points lost in Portugal could prove particularly expensive.
Morocco Will Decide the 2027 W2RC Titles
The season will conclude with Rallye Ola Energy du Maroc from 24–29 October.
Morocco has long been one of rally-raid’s key destinations, and its late-season position makes it the final opportunity for drivers, co-drivers and manufacturers to settle the championship.
It also creates a fitting bookend to the season: W2RC begins with Dakar in January and concludes with another major North African desert challenge almost ten months later.
2027 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship Calendar
Round Event Date
1) Dakar Rally 1–15 January
2) Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 21–26 March
3) South African Safari Rally 14–19 June
4) BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal 21–26 September
5) Rallye Ola Energy du Maroc 24–29 October
