Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), Saudi Motorsport Company and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that the 2027 Dakar Rally would not be held in Saudi Arabia, confirming that the prestigious motorsport event would return to the kingdom in 2028.

According to a joint statement, the 2027 edition, scheduled to take place from January 1 to 15, will be hosted by another country, whose identity will be announced at a later date.

The exceptional decision was reportedly taken in coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, with support from the international governing bodies for automobile and motorcycle racing.

The FIA confirmed that Saudi Arabia would host the 2028 edition, which will mark the rally’s 50th edition, following seven consecutive years of hosting the event since 2020.