The Dakar Rally has officially confirmed that its 2027 edition will be relocated from Saudi Arabia to Portugal and Morocco, marking the first time since 2019 that the event will be held outside the Kingdom.

The announcement follows the cancellation of the 2027 Dakar in Saudi Arabia that was revealed earlier this week, when organizers said recent developments in the region had made it impossible to stage the event there as planned.

For 2027, competitors will tackle a route stretching from southern Portugal to Morocco, with the rally scheduled to run from January 9-23, pending approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The event will begin with a prologue and opening stage in the Algarve region. Spain will also be included as a liaison/transfer route between Portugal and the ferry crossing to Morocco, not for official timed special stages though.

Morocco will host the bulk of the rally, including 11 stages and a rest day in Agadir. Organizers say the route is designed to explore virtually the entire country, running from the northeastern region of Bouarfa through Zagora and Agadir before reaching the deserts of the far south near Smara and Dakhla, ultimately finishing in Marrakech.

The 49th edition will cover 7,824 km (4,862 miles), including 4,341 km (2,698 miles) of timed special stages spread across twelve stages. Dakar organizers plan to use six different bivouacs along the route, with most special stages expected to range between 350 and 500 km.

Race Director David Castera said the event would remain true to Dakar’s traditional level of difficulty despite the compressed planning timeline, describing it as an “uncompromising” Dakar. He also noted that Morocco’s extensive rally-raid experience and infrastructure would allow organizers to create a route that showcases the country from “one end to the other.”

The relocation will also include the Dakar Classic, the Dakar Future Mission 1000 program and the Dakar Saudi Next Gen initiative, all of which will move alongside the main rally in 2027.

According to organizers, more than 350 competitors have already registered for the event, underscoring continued support for the rally despite the unusual change of venue. The race will serve as the opening round of the 2027 FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships.

The temporary return to Portugal and Morocco also carries historical significance. Both countries were long associated with the Dakar during its Africa-era years, and the 2027 edition will briefly reconnect the event with those roots before its planned return to Saudi Arabia for the rally’s 50th edition in 2028.

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