Sport AfricaBriefMotorsport Checked story Published 30 October 2026 · Updated 30 Oct, 10:42 UTC

Dakar Rally 2027 moves to Portugal and Morocco: the rally returns to Africa for the first time in 20 years

The 49th Dakar Rally will be held in Portugal and Morocco from 9 to 23 January 2027, the FIA confirmed on Friday 30 October 2026 in its own announcement, read directly in this run — exceptionally relocated from Saudi Arabia following recent developments in the region, with the event returning to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th edition. The rally starts in Loulé-Faro, Portugal, with a prologue on 9 January and a first special stage on 10 January, then crosses the Mediterranean overnight to Nador, Morocco, and runs south and back north through Bouarfa, Zagora, Agadir (rest day), Smara and Dakhla to finish in Marrakech on 23 January. In total it covers 7,824 km, including 4,341 km of competitive special stages, with a prologue followed by 12 stages and six bivouacs. The dates remain subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. Reuters, reporting the organisers Amaury Sport Organisation's (ASO) statement the same day, adds that the Algarve will host the prologue and the first special stage and Morocco will host 11 stages and the rest day in Agadir, and that the move is described by ASO as exceptional and one-off.

Desert dunes in the Sahara (illustrative file photo) — Photo via Unsplash · (File photo — not from this match)

Verified The 49th edition of the Dakar Rally will be exceptionally relocated to Portugal and Morocco from 9 to 23 January 2027, subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, marking the event's return to the African continent for the first time in 20 years. It will serve as the opening round of the 2027 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.

Key points

The 49th Dakar Rally runs in Portugal and Morocco from 9 to 23 January 2027 — the FIA's own announcement of Friday 30 October 2026, read directly in this run; the dates are subject to FIA World Motor Sport Council approval.
Start Loulé-Faro, Portugal (prologue 9 January, first special stage 10 January), overnight crossing to Nador, then Morocco through Bouarfa, Zagora, Agadir (rest day), Smara and Dakhla, finishing in Marrakech on 23 January.
Totals on the FIA's announcement: 7,824 km, including 4,341 km of competitive special stages, a prologue plus 12 stages, six bivouacs. Reuters adds Morocco hosts 11 of the stages.
The rally was originally scheduled in Saudi Arabia (1–15 January, per Reuters); the FIA says it will not take place there following recent developments in the region, and will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for the 50th edition. It is the Dakar's return to Africa for the first time in 20 years.

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What happened

The Dakar has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020, per Reuters' reporting read in this run. The decision that the 2027 edition would not be held there was announced five days before Friday's relocation announcement, per Reuters — ASO said on Sunday (25 October) the event would not be held in Saudi Arabia due to security concerns, in Reuters' summary. The FIA's own Friday text states the reason only as 'recent developments in the region'; this brief keeps those two wordings separate.

Morocco is not new ground for the rally: the FIA notes Morocco has featured in previous editions and hosts the Rallye du Maroc, an established World Rally-Raid Championship round, and Portugal hosts the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, part of the same championship for the past three seasons. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: 'We are extremely proud of the collaboration that will enable the event to go ahead in Portugal and Morocco.'

Match facts — all verified

✓ VerifiedThe 49th edition of the Dakar Rally will be exceptionally relocated to Portugal and Morocco from 9 to 23 January 2027, subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, marking the event's return to the African continent for the first time in 20 years. It will serve as the opening round of the 2027 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.FIA — Dakar to return to Africa in 2027 as Portugal and Morocco set to host 49th edition (30 Oct 2026) · Reuters — Dakar Rally 2027 will be held in Portugal and Morocco, organisers say (30 Oct 2026) · Al Jazeera — Dakar Rally 2027 to be held in Portugal, Morocco as Saudi hosting revoked (30 Oct 2026)
✓ VerifiedThe route starts in Loulé-Faro, Portugal, where the Algarve Stadium hosts the opening activities: the service park opens on 5 January and scrutineering runs 6–8 January, the prologue is on 9 January and the first special stage on 10 January, after which competitors make an overnight Mediterranean crossing to Nador, Morocco, arriving on 11 January. In Morocco the route goes through Bouarfa, Zagora and Agadir (the rest day), then further south through Smara to Dakhla, before turning north along the Atlantic coast through Smara again to finish in Marrakech on 23 January. The rally covers 7,824 km in total, including 4,341 km of competitive special stages, with a prologue followed by 12 stages and six bivouacs; most special stages are 350 to 500 km.FIA — Dakar to return to Africa in 2027 (30 Oct 2026) · Reuters — Dakar Rally 2027 will be held in Portugal and Morocco, organisers say (30 Oct 2026)
✓ VerifiedThe relocation follows the decision that the 2027 edition will not take place in Saudi Arabia as originally scheduled, following recent developments in the region. The event will return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th edition. ASO described the move, per Reuters, as exceptional and one-off; the edition had originally been scheduled for 1–15 January 2027.FIA — Dakar to return to Africa in 2027 (30 Oct 2026) · Reuters — Dakar Rally 2027 will be held in Portugal and Morocco, organisers say (30 Oct 2026)

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VerifiedWest Ham United confirmed on Tuesday 3 November 2026 that men's first-team head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has left his position with immediate effect. The club said: 'Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary at this time in order to ensure that the club's objectives and expectations remain on track.'
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