The organisers of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship have announced the calendar for the 2027 season. The championship’s sixth season sticks with the proven five-round format, but introduces a clearly revised schedule with more time between the individual events.
The championship’s three fixed pillars return, South Africa is back once again, and the Portuguese round further cements its established place. The 2027 calendar looks as follows:
Round 1: Dakar Rally (Saudi Arabia), 1-15 January
Round 2: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (UAE), 21-26 March
Round 3: South African Safari Rally (South Africa), 14-19 June
Round 4: bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, 21-26 September
Round 5: Rallye OLA Energie du Maroc (Morocco), 24-29 October
Dakar and Morocco in familiar places
The Dakar Rally opens the season in Saudi Arabia for the sixth consecutive year, for the event’s 49th edition. The Rallye OLA Energie du Maroc closes out the championship, as in previous years, and marks its 28th edition. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge returns to its traditional spot as the second round, following the disruption that arose in 2026 when Ramadan fell in February and March, which pushed the event to November. In the concluding 2026 season, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place as the closing round for the first time, from 22 to 27 November. That was a stopgap solution; in 2027 the event shifts back to its usual position early in the year.
South Africa back, Argentina off
The South African Safari Rally returns to the calendar, taking the place of the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF from Argentina. The two events alternate with one another, a principle that was also applied in earlier years. The South African Safari Rally made its debut on the W2RC calendar in 2025, as a replacement for the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF that year. In 2026, Argentina returned at the expense of the South African event. In 2027 it is South Africa’s turn once again, from 14 to 19 June.
The bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, created specifically for the championship, appears on the calendar for the fourth consecutive time and takes up the position of the fourth round.
More space between the rounds
A striking element of the 2027 calendar is the deliberately more spacious layout. There is more than two months between the Dakar (15 January) and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (21 March), allowing teams and riders to properly recover from the toughest race of the year. After Abu Dhabi, the South African round follows seven weeks later. Portugal and Morocco are separated by four weeks, more than double the gap in 2025. And because Morocco ends in late October, two full months remain before the start of the Dakar 2028.
Logistics also play a role in this: by staying in the Middle East after the Dakar for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, more efficient transport is possible. The route from South Africa to Europe then connects with the maritime logistics towards Portugal.
David Castera, sporting director at organiser A.S.O., emphasises that the approach is aimed at accessibility: the wider gaps are intended to reduce costs and make it easier for teams to fit the W2RC rounds into their overall racing programme.
Current season not yet over
The announcement of the 2027 calendar comes while the 2026 season has not yet been completed. The Rallye du Maroc (28 September to 3 October) and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (22 to 27 November) will still determine the final standings of the current championship.
The five events for 2027 together represent three continents: Asia (Saudi Arabia and UAE), Africa (South Africa and Morocco) and Europe (Portugal). With two rounds per continent for Asia and Africa, this aligns with the balance that was also applied in 2025.
