Season 6 of the World Rally-Raid Championship features the same slate as in 2025, albeit with some date shifting. The 2027 calendar was revealed on Wednesday by the FIA, FIM, and ASO.

“From the sands of Abu Dhabi and Dakar to the challenging terrain of Morocco and Portugal, this year’s calendar also marks the return of the iconic South African Safari Rally, following a successful debut in 2025,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem proclaimed. “The championship is a unique challenge in global motorsport and I look forward to another exciting year of rallying ahead.”

As always, the season begins in January with the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is back as the second round after being the 2026 finale. This time, however, it is in late March rather than the previous slot between late February and early March. The original dates became untenable due to Ramadan, which forced the 2026 ADDC to become the season finale.

The Dakar and ADDC are still expected to be held in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates despite the ongoing uncertainty with the war in Iran. None of the involved parties have publicly revealed contingencies should the crisis escalate.

After a three-month spring break, the South African Safari Rally returns with a new mid-June date. It and the Desafío Ruta 40 are on an alternating basis, though the latter had lobbied to be included on the 2027 schedule. The increased time, from when South Africa and Argentina had been in late May, is supposed to give teams more time to recover and prepare.

“The FIM is delighted to welcome the South African Safari Rally back to the calendar after a one-year absence,” federation boss Jorge Viegas offered. “The success of its inaugural edition demonstrated the passion for the series in the region and confirmed its place as a valuable addition to the championship.”

The Rally-Raid Portugal is in September, while the Rallye du Maroc returns to its original place as the final round in October. The latter in turn means everyone has two months to prep for the 2028 Dakar Rally.

“The 2027 calendar offers a strong line-up, bringing together the rally raid discipline’s heavyweight events alongside the two rallies created specifically for the championship, which have now become firmly established fixtures,” ASO boss David Castera stated. “The expertise of their organizers ensures the highest sporting standards while also providing the capacity to welcome more competitors.

“Improving the championship’s accessibility has been a key focus. Although the sequence of events returns to a more traditional order, it does so with an entirely new rhythm. The additional gaps between rounds will help teams and competitors reduce costs and integrate their rally raid programs more easily into their overall racing schedules. Together, these two factors should help maintain the championship’s upward trajectory in terms of participation.”

Schedule

Round	Race	Country	Date
1	Dakar Rally	Saudi Arabia	January 1–15
2	Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge	United Arab Emirates	March 21–26
3	South African Safari Rally	South Africa	June 14–19
4	BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal	Portugal	September 21–26
5	Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc	Morocco	October 24–29

Featured image credit: Charly López / ASO