It’s the letter every rider dreams of getting:

By submitting your application for the 48th edition of the Dakar rally, you signed up for more than just a sporting challenge and are getting ready to embark on an odyssey. More than an extreme rally, the Dakar is first and foremost about surpassing one’s limits, fueled by notable encounters, raw emotions and vast landscapes. Our progress is driven by effort and guided by instinct, over a course that is demanding and filled with unique adventures.

With this in mind, and after having carefully reviewed all the applications received, we are pleased to announce that you are among the 130 drivers selected to participate in this odyssey, from 3 to 17 January 2026.

Starting in Yanbu on the banks of the Red Sea, the 2026 route will combine 2 marathon-refuge stages, split stages separating motorbikes from cars and trucks and will introduce the power stage. During your epic journey through the heart of the Saudi deserts, the sandy canyons, massive dunes and volcanic fields will serve as the backdrop of this exceptional quest spanning over 8,000 km.

The five months preceding the start of the rally will be crucial to honing your physical and technical preparation, essential conditions when competing for a spot on the final podium.

Please bear in mind that your definitive commitment, and consequently your effective participation in the Dakar rally, is subject to successfully passing the Technical and Administrative Checks.

All of us at the Competitor Department and the Dakar Rally would like to congratulate you on being selected and are available to assist you as you prepare for this great adventure.

See you in Yanbu!

The ASO began sending out messages to applicants for the 2026 race on Thursday, either confirming they will be one of the 130 riders allowed to compete or not. All riders receive it regardless of prior experience so long that they signed up after registration opened on June 7.

Robbie Wallace, for example, made his debut in 2025 but got his letter in the mail on Friday; he hopes to rebound after his maiden Dakar was ruined by a crash. Likewise, David Pabiška has 16 Dakars under his belt but had to go through the same application process and wait for the confirmation.

Even if one isn’t accepted, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, a rejected rider can change the ASO’s mind if they do well in any of the World Rally-Raid Championship races that take place after July. In 2025’s case, those are the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal in September and the season-ending Rallye du Maroc in October.

One can also secure their ticket by winning the Road to Dakar at any participating race. The RtD is reserved for competitors with no prior Dakar experience, and the winner receives free registration for either the upcoming Dakar or the year after (for example, winning a 2025 RtD challenge means your sign-up fee is waived for the 2026 or 2027 Dakar).

The ASO introduced a new Dakar qualifying process in 2024 that puts more stock into finishing and collecting points. For example, completing the Rallye du Maroc earns you 12 points regardless of your position, though bonus points are awarded if your time is within 130% of the Rally2 winner’s. The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid offers just 6 points to everyone else’s 12 because it predominantly takes place in forests rather than deserts. Non-W2RC races offer points too if they’re at least five days long or are on the FIM Bajas World Cup.

While it might be disheartening to get a rejection letter instead, that just means one has to keep grinding. Those like the Searles brothers had their applications turned down for the 2025 Dakar but did enough afterward to earn their spots for 2026.

For those who got the green light, it might be a time to celebrate for now but their work has only just begun. Over the next five months, they will have to prepare for Dakar by paying off the final fees to the ASO and/or their teams and figure out how to get to Saudi Arabia. The first assistance fee is due on September 10, followed by the second 20 days later on September 30.

The 2026 Dakar Rally begins on January 3.

Featured image credit: Irina Petrichei / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO