Saudi Arabia dropped from World Rally Championship
The final round of the 2026 World Rally Championship (WRC) will now take place in Italy rather than Saudi Arabia due to continuing instability in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia was originally scheduled to host the 14th and final round of the championship from November 11 to 14. However, the WRC season has been reduced to 13 rounds, with the championship now set to conclude at Rally Italia Sardinia from October 1 to 4.
The Rally Saudi Arabia event in Jeddah, which was added to the WRC calendar in 2025, will still be held on its scheduled dates but will instead form part of the Middle East Rally Championship.
The FIA, motorsport’s governing body, said Saudi Arabia remained prepared to stage the rally safely but explained that the decision was taken because of “ongoing uncertainty in the region and its effect on logistical arrangements.”
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said organisers and partners had explored several options to preserve the Saudi Arabian round but acknowledged that cancelling its WRC status was a difficult decision after extensive preparations.
He said the FIA remained confident in the event’s organisers and its long-term prospects, despite the WRC round not going ahead this year.
Britain’s Elfyn Evans currently leads the WRC standings, holding a 17-point advantage over Finland’s Sami Pajari ahead of the final round. A maximum of 35 points will be available in Sardinia.
Evans, who has finished second in the championship five times, is aiming to become the latest British driver to win the WRC title, following in the footsteps of Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
The decision comes amid continuing conflicts and security concerns across the Middle East, including the Israel-Gaza war, the conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, and Saudi Arabia’s ongoing confrontation with Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The WRC is among several major sporting competitions to have adjusted plans because of regional security concerns. Earlier this year, the FIA cancelled Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Bahrain’s event was subsequently moved to Malaysia, while races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain scheduled to proceed.
Other sports have also been affected. Tennis players, officials and journalists were stranded in Dubai in February following missile strikes on the United Arab Emirates, while a March ATP Challenger tournament was disrupted by drone attacks.
Meanwhile, some tennis authorities are reportedly examining alternative venues for regional events in the 2027 season.
English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick has also expressed reservations about travelling to Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship in November, saying he was not “100% comfortable” with defending his title there.
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