The FIM in conjunction with the FIA and series promoter ASO are delighted to announce the 2026 W2RC calendar that will incorporate the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship.
● Five rounds will make up the fifth season of the W2RC, the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship launched in 2022.
● The Dakar will get the show on the road in January, while the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will wrap up the season for the first time. The convoy will visit four continents, including South America, which is returning to the calendar with the Desafío Ruta 40.
CURTAIN-RAISER IN SAUDI ARABIA
The traditional opener of the W2RC since 2022, the Dakar, will inaugurate the 2026 season too. The 48th edition of the legendary rally raid will set out to tame the tracks and deserts of Saudi Arabia from 3 to 17 January in an odyssey that promises to keep fans on the edges of their seats. Next, the convoy will set course for Europe and the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. The event, created specifically for the championship in 2024, made a terrific first impression and will be holding its third edition from 17 to 22 March. The sole European round on the calendar will mark the beginning of spring on the continent, set against the distinctive landscapes of Iberia.
ARGENTINA REDUX
The promoter wished to alternate between the South African Safari Rally, which saw the light of day in South Africa in May 2025, and the Desafío Ruta 40. A promise made is a promise kept! The Argentinian event, part of the 2023 and 2024 W2RC series, is set to make a triumphant return in 2026. The charismatic South American community will flock to the eagerly anticipated thirteenth edition of the rally between 24 and 29 May. As the third round out of five, it will mark the transition from the first to the second half of the season.
ABU DHABI THE LAST ROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME
As usual since the launch of the series in 2022, the 2026 W2RC will feature the Rallye du Maroc. From 28 September to 3 October, Morocco will set the field on the home straight of a season that will culminate in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge for the first time! The Emirati round, which has traditionally come right after the Dakar, has been moved to a new slot between 22 and 27 November due to Ramadan falling in February and March. The ADDC will become the third event to serve as the finale, after the Andalucía Rally (2022) and Rallye du Maroc (2023 through 2025).
David Castera, Motor Sports Director at Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO, the promoter of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship), stated: "The rotation we sketched out last year will come into play in 2026, as we head back to Argentina following a jaw-dropping edition of the South African Safari Rally. It was a ringing success. We expect the race to return the season after that because we would like to alternate between these two fantastic events. The iconic Dakar, Rallye du Maroc and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge are the foundation of the world championship together with the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, created in 2024. We are really pleased with the calendar for the fifth season, which sets the stage for a gripping championship. The launch of the Stock category will draw new manufacturers such as Toyota and Defender."
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem commented on the five epic challenges that lie in wait next year for the W2RC competitors, saying: "The FIA World Rally-Raid Championship is a remarkable test of speed, endurance and adaptability, and it is good to see that the championship returns to South America in 2026 for Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina. The challenge of returning to an event after two years away will be fascinating to see, and together with the addition of new FIA championships in the Stock category, the growth and success of this discipline continues."
FIM President Jorge Viegas added about the new season: "There is no doubt in my mind that the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship is one of the most competitive championships under the FIM flag. I am pleased to see that the quad category will be included in all the rounds except the Dakar Rally, and that the full championship will visit four continents in 2026. Each year the series is attracting more teams, which is very positive for the future, and is just one of the reasons that the W2RC is becoming increasingly competitive, which I was able to witness first-hand at the Dakar Rally and the South African Safari Rally this season."
The 2026 season is already taking shape, but the 2025 campaign is far from over! Make sure to follow the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal from 22 to 28 September before the Rallye du Maroc puts a bow on the championship from 10 to 17 October.
FIM World Rally-Raid Championship calendar 2026 HERE