The Dakar Rally is set to return to Africa for the first time since 2007, with the 2027 edition moving from Saudi Arabia to Europe and Africa. The prologue will take place in Europe on January 9, followed by a ferry transfer to Africa, with the first stage starting on January 10 and the finish scheduled for January 22.

The exact countries and routes for the event have yet to be confirmed, but the move aims to maintain the rally's legendary difficulty while ensuring participant safety.

Organising the Dakar in Saudi Arabia has become increasingly risky: drone attacks, regional conflict escalation, and insurance difficulties, have made the original plan untenable. Insurers reportedly refused coverage for the Saudi route in September, and other major motorsport events in the region were cancelled for similar reasons.

Exact countries and route: Spain and Morocco are widely mentioned in media reports, but no official confirmation has been issued yet. Start location: Teams have been told the prologue is in Europe, but the specific city is still unknown.