2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC)

The return of the Desafío Ruta 40, a new Stock category for series-production cross-country vehicles, the removal of the Power Stage format and the Prologue after the Dakar Rally are the main innovations for the fifth running of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts the 48th running of the Dakar Rally on January 3rd-17th and that marks the opening round of the series once again.

With the Holy Month of Ramadan falling between mid-February and mid-March, the Portugal-based BP Ultimate Rally-Raid moves to a much earlier date of March 17th-22nd. Argentina’s Desafío Ruta 40 returns to the calendar after a one-year absence to replace the South African Safari Rally on May 24th-29th.

The Rally of Morocco has traditionally been the final round of the series in October but acts as round four on this occasion from September 28th-October 3rd.

The 2026 series now concludes with the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge moving back to November 22nd-27th, a slot late in the calendar it also occupied for many years during the days of the former FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.

The five events are spread across four continents – Asia (Middle East), Europe, South America and Africa.

The Dakar is again organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and hosted by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF). It starts and finishes in the Red Sea city of Yanbu for the first time and features a rest day in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The itinerary again includes two Marathon stages where outside assistance and servicing is not permitted for competitors.

The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid is organised by the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) and is in the W2RC calendar for a third year. A similar event called Rally Transibérico ran back in 2006 and was a round of the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup. The event will again cross into western Spain for one competitive section and a night halt.

The 13th edition of the Desafío Ruta 40 will link the Argentinian cities of San Juan, San Rafael (Mendoza) and San Juan and will also mark the return of the demanding El Nihuil dune crossings that were used on previous Dakar rallies in South America. The event was a round of the W2RC in 2023 and 2024.

The Rally of Morocco has traditionally been a testing ground for teams before the Dakar Rally and the fourth round of the series will be largely centred around the Erg Chebbi and Erfoud. Pro Dunes, under the guidance of multiple motorcycle Dakar winner Marc Coma and 2006 Dakar winner (cars) Luc Alphand, took over the organisation in 2025.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was founded by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in 1991 and joined the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies two years later. Based in the Abu Dhabi emirate, the event still features gruelling stages in the remote Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter) region of the UAE.

The 2026 Cross-Country Rally Sporting Regulations are available here.