Confirmed: The Dakar Rally will return to its roots in 2027

There is no end in sight to the armed conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Due to the unstable situation, many sporting events in the region have already been cancelled, and it was to be expected that the legendary Dakar Rally would also be affected: On 25 October, organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) announced that there would be a different venue – since 2020, the toughest rally has been held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

On Friday morning, it was announced where the 49th edition will take place, and for regular readers of SPEEDWEEK.com, this comes as no surprise. The 2027 Dakar Rally will start in Portugal, after which the competitors will cross the Mediterranean by ship to Morocco to complete the majority of the rally there.

The change of dates has also been confirmed: the rally will kick off on 9 January in Loulé-Faro. The rally will end on 23 January in Marrakesh after twelve stages (plus a prologue and a rest day). With a route through North Africa, the world’s toughest rally is returning to its roots. The Dakar was last held on African soil in 2007.

The route stretches over 7,824 kilometres, 4,341 kilometres of which are special stages, and leads to six different bivouacs. All the classic elements of the race are represented; race director David Castera has announced an uncompromising Dakar.

Die Route der Dakar 2027

Foto: ASO

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Following the opening of the service park on 5 January in Loulé-Faro, the administrative and technical scrutineering will take place in the region from 6 to 8 January. The racing action begins on 9 January in Portugal with the prologue, followed by the first special stage the next day. This will be followed by a transfer to the port, from where the crossing to Nador in Morocco will commence; the journey across the Mediterranean will take place overnight.

Upon arrival on the African continent on 11 January, the participants will set off for the first Moroccan bivouac in Bouarfa. From the Oriental region in north-eastern Morocco, the route initially heads south – along the Atlas Mountains, the very backbone of the kingdom. Via Zagora, the route continues to Agadir, where the rally convoy will make a 24-hour stopover.

The rally then leaves the Atlas Mountains and ventures deep into the vast, distinctive deserts in the far south of the country. Smara and the area near Dakhla mark the southernmost points of the second week. From there, the convoy begins its return journey north – once again via Smara – following the course of the Atlantic Ocean and finally reaching Marrakech, the event’s finish line.

“The rescheduled 49th edition of the Dakar lives up to the sporting standards that have always made it the most demanding rally-raid event,” emphasised Castera. “Despite the tight timeframe, we have succeeded in designing a genuine Dakar. The ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal) is supporting us in Portugal; its round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship has established itself as a cornerstone of the season since 2024. In Morocco, meanwhile, our extensive knowledge of the terrain, combined with the operational capabilities of our in-house teams, enables us to go far beyond the formats previously offered there: participants will discover the kingdom from one end to the other.”