The World Rallycross Championship is dead. Long live the European Rallycross Championship.

The FIA announced on Thursday sweeping changes to the rallycross discipline for 2026, the most notable being World Rallycross’ demotion to a European Championship. While Euro RX already exists as is own series, the move effectively combines World RX’s remaining assets into the European name and brand.

European Rallycross used to be the sport’s highest level, beginning life in the mid-1970s from a reorganization of the Embassy/ERA European Rallycross Championship by the FIA. It stayed the top tier for the discipline until 2014 when World RX was founded, after which it became a regional series.

Despite the demise of World RX as we know it, the FIA hopes to launch the Rallycross World Cup as a one-off race in support of Euro RX. The latter, meanwhile, will contest six rounds in 2026.

Besides the series change, the FIA also formally ended the electric car experiment. EVs were gradually phased in before being mandatory by the 2022 World RX season, but they struggled to gain traction and popularity among fans who preferred their ICE counterparts.

In 2024, the series introduced the “Battle of the Technologies” so that ICE and EV cars could coexist. Even though EVs have been competitive, with Johan Kristoffersson set to clinch his eighth championship after predominantly driving one, they still failed to resonate with fans and at high costs.

In the big picture, the FIA hopes the changes will eventually lead to better vehicle development. The 2027-bound World Rally Championship regulations will become applicable for rallycross as well by 2028, which the federation hopes will allow for crossover.

Emilia Abel, the FIA Road Sport director, stated:

The changes announced today mark an important step in shaping the long-term growth of rallycross. From the beginning, our approach has been to listen to the teams, the drivers, the organizers, and above all the fans.

The FIA has made races free to watch worldwide and built a world-class broadcast experience. But shaping the bigger picture takes time, which is why we are laying out this clear vision for 2026 and beyond.

The past two seasons have been a true battle of technologies, with electric and combustion power going head-to-head. This era showed how rallycross can lead in motorsport innovation, and the lessons learned will remain part of our DNA. The move to an internal combustion drivetrain builds on this foundation delivering an affordable and accessible format to grow grids and intensify competition.

With the European Championship providing a strong racing format, and plans – subject to the approval of the World Motor Sport Council – for a World Cup to create a thrilling global showcase, we are offering the best of both worlds as we transition toward the new technical regulations for the 2028 season.

The FIA is committed to delivering the close racing, and spectacle that make rallycross unique, while preparing the sport for an even stronger future, which honours our past, celebrates innovation, and ensures growth in rallycross for years to come.

The FIA took over promotion for World and Euro RX in March.

Featured image credit: Dominik Angerer / Red Bull Content Pool