The FIA has scrapped Rally Saudi Arabia as the closing round of this year’s World Rally Championship, a decision that lands two months ahead of Formula 1‘s own season-ending swing through the Gulf and will likely sharpen scrutiny of F1’s plans to keep racing there in December.
The FIA and WRC Promoter confirmed that the event, originally set for November 12-15, will not go ahead as a WRC round in 2026.
The governing body said it had worked “extensively” with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, the local organisers and championship stakeholders to try to keep the event on the calendar, but ultimately cited “ongoing uncertainty in the region and its effect on logistical arrangements” as the reason the WRC leg couldn’t proceed.
The rally itself hasn’t been cancelled outright — it will still run on the same dates, but folded into the FIA Middle East Rally Championship instead. Saudi Arabia pushed back on any suggestion the call reflected conditions on the ground, stressing it “remained ready to host the event safely and successfully” and that the country “continues to operate normally with national systems fully functional.”
With the round dropped, the WRC season now finishes at Rally Sardinia (October 1-4), which becomes the 13th and final round of the year — a reshuffling that leaves the world championship wrapped up two months before F1 even arrives in the region for its Qatar and Abu Dhabi season finale on November 29 and December 6.
FIA President addresses decision
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the decision directly, saying the federation had explored every option with its Saudi and WRC partners to keep the event running as planned, but that regional developments meant the WRC element couldn’t go ahead this year — while stressing the federation’s confidence in the organisers and in the rally’s longer-term future in the Kingdom remains unchanged
. He confirmed the standalone Middle East Rally Championship event will still run in November with FIA support, and said the priority now is working with Saudi partners and WRC Promoter toward bringing the world championship back to the country in 2027.
The calendar change still needs sign-off from the FIA World Motor Sport Council. F1’s own end-of-season calendar is, for now, unchanged.
Discussion about this post