Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) will introduce the South African Safari Rally, replacing Argentina’s Desafío Ruta 40 and marking the return of cross-country rallying to South Africa for the first time since 1992. The event will be based in Sun City, North West Province, and is organized with Motorsport South Africa. The championship calendar features five events across three continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa.
The season opens with the 47th Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Amaury Sport Organisation. For the first time, the rally will start in Bisha and finish in the Empty Quarter near Shubaytah, close to the UAE border. After Dakar, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will take place, with stages in the Rub Al-Khali desert.
Other calendar changes include moving the Portugal-based BP Ultimate Rally-Raid from April to September, which will now also extend into Spain. The Rallye du Maroc in Morocco remains the final round, offering a five-day desert route used both for testing and deciding championship outcomes.
A 2024 review by the Cross-Country Rally Commission led to a revised points system for the championship. The W2RC will award titles in several categories, including overall Driver and Co-driver, Manufacturers, Challenger Driver and Co-driver, and SSV Driver and Co-driver.