Dakar Rally set for Portugal-to-Morocco route in 2027

The Dakar Rally is set to run the 2027 edition of its event on a new route through Portugal and Morocco. The announcement follows the decision revealed last Sunday to relocate the event from Saudi Arabia due to ongoing strife in the Middle East.

Loulé-Faro’s 30,000-seat Algarve Stadium will provide the setting for the launch of the 49th edition of the Dakar, beginning on Jan. 9 with the traditional prologue, before the first special stage the following day. The stage will continue with a transfer to the port of embarkation for Nador, Morocco. The Mediterranean crossing will take place overnight.

Upon their arrival on the African continent on Jan. 11, competitors will make their way by transfer to the first Moroccan bivouac in Bouarfa. The race will initially head south along the Atlas Mountains, via Zagora, then Agadir, where the teams will take a 24-hour break before venturing deep into the vast deserts of the country’s far south. Smara, then almost to Dakhla, will mark the furthest points on the map of the second week. From there, the caravan will begin its journey back north, once again via Smara, before following the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to Marrakech, its final destination, on Jan. 23.

The route, designed over recent weeks based on the knowledge accumulated by the organizing teams and a series of reconnaissance runs, meets the usual standards of the season’s biggest rally-raid event, with 4,341 km/2,607 miles of special stages, a figure close to the format of recent editions. On a daily basis, most special stages will range between 350 and 500 km (217-310 miles).

“The relocated 49th edition of the Dakar will meet the sporting standards that have always made it the most demanding rally-raid event,” said David Castera, Dakar director. “Despite the short timeframe we have had to work with, we have designed a true Dakar. The ACP (Automóvel Club de Portugal) is supporting us in Portugal, having established its round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship as a cornerstone of the season since 2024.

“And in Morocco, our expertise across the entire territory, combined with the operational capabilities of our internal teams, allows us to go far beyond the formats previously offered in the country. Competitors will discover the Kingdom from one end to the other. We will explore all its distinctive features through a route of unprecedented scale. Here too, the country’s expertise in hosting major international events, as well as the quality of its infrastructure, will be invaluable in enabling us to offer everyone a truly first-class Dakar.

“We are already grateful for the loyalty of the competitors who are overwhelmingly choosing to follow us on this new adventure (350 already registered to date). They will also be able to count on the support of the media and our partners, who are reaffirming their commitment alongside us in these exceptional circumstances. As usual, the Dakar will be broadcast in more than 190 countries around the world.

“The adventure continues, as do preparations for the historic celebration of the 50th edition in Saudi Arabia.”