PARIS: The 2027 Dakar Rally will be held in Morocco following a prologue and first stage in Portugal, organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) said on Friday, five days after announcing that the event would not take place in Saudi Arabia due to security concerns.
“The Algarve will host the prologue and the first special stage. Morocco, with the aim of exploring its territory in its entirety, from north to far south, will host 11 stages and a rest day in Agadir,” ASO said in a statement.
The 49th Dakar Rally, initially scheduled to run from Jan 1 to Jan 15, will take place from Jan 9 to Jan 23, subject to approval by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council. Dakar 2027 will cover a distance of 7,824km.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2026
