Dakar Rally Returns to Africa in 2027 After Two Decades
The Dakar Rally will return to African soil in January 2027, with Morocco hosting 11 competitive stages after Saudi Arabia stepped aside over security concerns.
CN Quick Facts
- The Dakar Rally returns to Africa on 9–23 January 2027, with Morocco hosting 11 stages, its first African edition since 2007.
- Dakar is a brutal test of 4×4 durability, and lessons from it often shape how off-road vehicles are built.
- Kenya isn’t on the route, but fans of the Safari Rally get a major African motorsport event to follow, just as Rwanda prepares to host F1.
- A one-off move from Saudi Arabia puts Dakar back in Africa for the first time in two decades.
What's in this Article
The Dakar Rally is going back to Africa. The 49th edition will serve as the opening round of the 2027 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, with a prologue and 12 stages scheduled from 9 to 23 January. It is the first time the rally has run on the continent since 2007.
The route starts in Loulé-Faro, Portugal, and finishes in Marrakech. It replaces the planned Saudi Arabia edition, which organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and the Saudi Motorsport Company jointly cancelled following recent developments in the region, including attacks on the kingdom.
Why the Move Happened
Saudi Arabia has hosted Dakar since 2020, and the 2027 edition was due to run from 1 to 15 January. ASO called the relocation “exceptional and one-off” and says Saudi Arabia will host the landmark 50th edition in 2028. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) also cancelled the World Rally Championship round in Jeddah, so the rally wasn’t the only event affected.
ASO announced the Saudi decision on 25 October and published the new route on 30 October, leaving about ten weeks to rebuild the event.
The 2027 Route
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Edition | 49th Dakar Rally |
| Dates | 9–23 January 2027 |
| Start | Loulé-Faro, Portugal |
| Finish | Marrakech, Morocco |
| Format | Prologue plus 12 stages |
| Moroccan stages | 11, plus a rest day in Agadir |
| Special stages | 4,341 km |
| Total distance | 7,824 km |
The Algarve hosts the prologue on 9 January and the first stage on 10 January. Competitors then take an overnight ferry to Nador, reach Morocco on 11 January and move to the first bivouac at Bouarfa.
The route then heads south along the Atlas Mountains through Zagora to Agadir, where the rest day falls on Sunday 17 January. The second week goes deep into the far south through Smara, nearly reaching Dakhla, before turning north to Marrakech. Most daily specials are 350–500 km. The final stage in Marrakech is a short 22 km special.
Despite the name, the rally won’t go anywhere near the city of Dakar.
Why It Matters to African Motorsport
Africa is returning to the global motorsport map on two fronts. Rwanda signed a 10-year deal on 13 October to host Formula One from the early 2030s, which will be the continent’s first F1 race since South Africa’s Kyalami in 1993. Dakar’s arrival in Morocco comes just weeks later.
Morocco has long drawn rally-raid competitors with its desert terrain, and this edition gives it a global audience for destinations such as Agadir, Zagora and Marrakech.
What It Means for Kenya
Kenya isn’t on the route, but Kenyan fans have a stake. The Safari Rally returned to the WRC in 2021 after a 19-year absence, and Dakar’s return after about 20 years follows a similar path.
The two events are very different. Dakar is a multi-day rally-raid built on navigation and endurance, while the Safari is a timed special-stage rally. Both test vehicle preparation and reliability on hard ground, which is the daily reality for Kenyan drivers.
Morocco is two hours behind Kenya in January, so evening stage coverage should be easy to catch.
What’s Next
Teams now have only weeks to adapt. The 2027 edition is a test of how well ASO can relocate a major rally at short notice, with Saudi Arabia due back in 2028.
The Bottom Line
Dakar’s return to Africa is a change of scenery, but it also reconnects the rally with the continent it was named for, even if it won’t reach Dakar. With Rwanda’s F1 deal also announced, East African fans have plenty to watch.
Join the conversation
💬 Dakar returns to Saudi Arabia in 2028, but could Africa host it again? Is this a one-off or the start of a lasting comeback? Share your views in the comments below, join the conversation on the CarTalk KE Forum and follow CarNews KE for the latest motorsport updates.
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