“This Dakar 2027 will be raced without concession,” race director David Castera said — but not in Saudi Arabia. Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the organizer of the rally-raid, confirmed that the 49th edition will instead run from Jan. 9 to 23, 2027, between Loulé-Faro in Portugal and Marrakech in Morocco, CNews reported.

The relocation, announced after the edition was initially planned for Saudi Arabia, is attributed by ASO to the deteriorating geopolitical situation in the Middle East, including attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters against Riyadh, according to CNews. The race was originally scheduled for Jan. 1–15 in the kingdom, dna.fr reported.

Why the Dakar Is Leaving Saudi Arabia

ASO said in a statement that the change was driven above all by recent events in Saudi Arabia, notably the Houthi attacks, CNews reported. The organization moved to reassure fans by saying the race is expected to return to Saudi soil in 2028, when it will celebrate its 50th edition.

This is the first time the rally’s route has been relocated since 2008, CNews noted. Back then, fears of terrorist attacks and the jihadist threat pushed the Dakar off Africa for South America, where it ran from 2009 to 2019. The event returned to Saudi Arabia in 2020 and had been held there for seven consecutive editions.

Portugal Hosts the Start, Morocco the Bulk of the Race

According to ASO, the 49th Paris-Dakar will kick off the 2027 FIA and FIM rally-raid world championship season. The opening round will consist of a prologue followed by 12 stages, from Jan. 9 to 23, between Loulé-Faro in Portugal and Marrakech in Morocco, CNews reported.

The Algarve region of Portugal will host the prologue and the first special stage, ASO said. Morocco, for its part, will stage what the organizer described as a “total exploration from north to the extreme south” of its territory, with 11 stages and a rest day in Agadir, CNews reported.

The Moroccan Sahara Takes Center Stage

The route announced by ASO gives a central place to the Moroccan Sahara, Maroc Diplomatique reported. The second week of the 49th edition will take competitors to Smara and then toward the desert areas near Dakhla, before the caravan heads back north to Marrakech.

On Jan. 19, the crews will leave Smara for a bivouac in the desert and return the next day; a loop around Smara follows on Jan. 21, and the run back to Marrakech begins on Jan. 22, Maroc Diplomatique reported. Smara thus becomes one of the main anchors of the final part of the race.

Castera highlighted Morocco’s experience hosting major events and the quality of its infrastructure to meet the tight calendar, and announced broadcast coverage in more than 190 countries, giving the stages run in the Sahara international resonance, Maroc Diplomatique reported.

What This Means for the 2027 Championship

As the opening round of the 2027 FIA and FIM rally-raid world championships, the relocated Dakar carries added weight: results in Portugal and Morocco will set the tone for the season, CNews reported. The move also marks the Dakar’s return to Africa after 20 years away, with Morocco as the center of gravity of the competition, Maroc Diplomatique noted.

Race Confirms 2028 Saudi Return

• The 49th edition runs Jan. 9–23, 2027, starting in Loulé-Faro, Portugal, and finishing in Marrakech, Morocco, with 11 stages and a rest day in Agadir, CNews and dna.fr reported.
• ASO cited the tense geopolitical context, including Houthi attacks from Yemen against Riyadh, CNews reported.
• Will the Dakar return to Saudi Arabia? ASO said the race is expected to resume on Saudi soil in 2028 to celebrate the event’s 50th edition, CNews and Yahoo Actualités reported.
• Castera announced coverage in more than 190 countries, according to Maroc Diplomatique.

The next confirmed checkpoint on the calendar is the start of the 49th edition on Jan. 9, 2027, in Loulé-Faro, Portugal, with the caravan reaching Marrakech on Jan. 23.