Preparations are in full swing for the Dakar Rally 2026 in Saudi Arabia, with less than two weeks remaining before the Kingdom hosts the world-renowned event for the seventh year in a row.
The rally will take place under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport and is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) in partnership with the Saudi Motorsport Company. Authorities are working closely through ongoing meetings to ensure everything is ready for this major international sporting event.
On the logistics side, King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu recently received two ships from Barcelona, Spain, carrying participating vehicles and equipment. Technical inspections of the vehicles are planned for January 1 and 2.
The Dakar Rally will feature wide international participation, running over 14 days from January 3 to 17. It will include a prologue stage followed by 13 main stages, with 812 competitors from 69 countries. Participants will compete in 433 vehicles across various categories, including 73 Ultimate cars, 46 trucks, 118 motorbikes, 8 Stock vehicles, 38 Challenger vehicles, 43 side-by-side vehicles (SSVs), and 75 historic cars along with 24 historic trucks. The Mission 1000 challenge will feature seven motorbikes and a truck.
The rally will follow a new route showcasing Saudi Arabia’s diverse terrain, geography, and cultural heritage, highlighting the Kingdom as a global motorsport hub.
The competition begins with a 23 km prologue stage in Yanbu on Saturday, January 3, followed by Stage One in Yanbu on January 4 (305 km). Stage Two heads to AlUla on January 5 (400 km), with Stage Three within AlUla on January 6 (422 km), and Stage Four (Marathon) in AlUla on January 7 (451 km). Stage Five goes toward Hail on January 8 (372 km), and Stage Six to Riyadh on January 9 (336 km), where competitors will have a rest day on January 10.
Action resumes with Stage Seven from Riyadh to Wadi Al-Dawasir (462 km) on January 11, followed by Stage Eight within Wadi Al-Dawasir (481 km) on January 12. Stage Nine moves toward Bisha (Marathon) on January 13, Stage Ten continues to Bisha on January 14 (421 km), and Stage Eleven heads to Al Henakiyah on January 15 (347 km). Stage Twelve returns to Yanbu on January 16 (310 km), culminating in the 13th and final stage in Yanbu on January 17 over 105 km.
