Rally Saudi Arabia has been officially cancelled from the 2026 World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar and will not be replaced. This means the season will conclude at Rally Italia Sardegna next month, earlier than planned.
The decision was announced on Thursday after weeks of uncertainty due to the conflict in the Middle East. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated that efforts had been made to keep the event in Jeddah. "We have worked closely with our partners in Saudi Arabia, our Member Club the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, WRC Promoter and our championship stakeholders in recent months to explore every possible route that would allow Rally Saudi Arabia to take place as planned. However, ongoing regional developments mean that the WRC element of Rally Saudi Arabia will not proceed this year," he said.
The cancellation came after Hyundai and Toyota had already made clear their intention not to travel to Saudi Arabia due to instability in the region. Missile attacks on the Aramco oil facility in Yanbu on Wednesday further solidified the decision. Hopes of switching the final round to an all-gravel Catalunya were also dashed after the deadline set by the Spanish event organizers passed.
One service park source told DirtFish, "This is a common-sense decision. With missiles coming into Saudi on Wednesday and the continued threat of more attacks, it would be very difficult to imagine running a rally under such circumstances. You have to feel for everybody involved, for the crews, the teams, and, of course, the team and the fans in Saudi Arabia, but this is the right move."
His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of SAMF and Chairman of SMC, reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia was still prepared to host the event. "We respect the decision taken by the FIA and WRC Promoter, while recognising how much anticipation there was around Rally Saudi Arabia in Jeddah this November. Nothing has changed in Saudi Arabia's readiness or confidence. The Kingdom was ready to host, preparations were advanced," he said.
With this cancellation, Rally Italia Sardegna, taking place in just over two weeks, will now serve as the season finale for 2026. This means drivers must quickly refocus on the final rally, which will determine the world champion.
Nevertheless, the FIA and WRC Promoter remain committed to bringing the WRC back to Saudi Arabia in 2027. Ben Sulayem added, "Our focus now is firmly on the future. We will continue working together with our partners in Saudi Arabia and WRC Promoter towards bringing the FIA World Rally Championship back in 2027."
The cancellation is also a blow to fans in the Middle East who had been looking forward to the event. However, the safety and security of all involved remains the top priority.
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