WRC releases FIA calendar for 2025, with inaugural race
FIA in Saudi Arabia scheduled for November 27th – 30th, 2025.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (August 1st, 2024): Saudi Arabia was today confirmed as the host of the final round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, set to take place on November 27th – 30th, 2025.
The historic dates were announced as part of the WRC’s official release of its 2025 calendar yesterday evening. The ground-breaking agreement for WRC to race in the Kingdom was signed earlier this summer and will see the world’s greatest rally series compete in Saudi Arabia for the next 10 years.
After the traditional start amongst the glitz and glamour of Monte-Carlo in late January, the WRC will take in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America before arriving in Saudi Arabia in late November to complete the largest calendar in the championship since 2007.
The Rally Saudi Arabia – organized by the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Rally Championship – will be the inaugural WRC race to be staged in Saudi Arabia and the first time since the 2011 Jordan Rally that the globally renowned rally series returns to the Middle East. WRC’s Saudi debut will see competitors race across three different terrains across each day of the rally, further marking this event out as one of the most highly-anticipated events of the 2025 season.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia will also host WRC for its crucial pre-season testing sessions on February 21st -22nd, 2025.
His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, said: “We are pleased to host the final race of the 2025 World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia. It is a historic occasion for the Kingdom and a positive indicator that confirms our development as a major hub for motorsports on the global stage. It demonstrates that our country has become an ideal new home for it. We seek to showcase the suitability of our beautiful country’s magnificent landscapes, just as we have successfully organized the Dakar Rally before. We always welcome the world to Saudi Arabia in general, the WRC family, and its wonderful fans next year, and we promise an exceptional and outstanding experience.”
As a current promoter of Formula 1, Formula E, Dakar Rally and Extreme E/H and the Fanatec GT World Challenge, WRC’s arrival in Saudi Arabia continues to showcase the Kingdom as the new host for globally prestigious motorsport events in the Middle East. In doing so, it furthers SMC and SAMF’s long-term goal of leveraging the power of motorsports to deliver directly against the Kingdom’s transformative Vision 2030.
The full WRC 2025 calendar and dates are:
- 23 – 26 January – Rallye Monte-Carlo
- 13 – 16 February – Rally Sweden
- 20 – 23 March – Safari Rally Kenya
- 24 – 27 April – Rally Islas Canarias
- 15 – 18 May – Vodafone Rally de Portugal
- 05 – 08 June – Rally Italia Sardegna
- 26 – 29 June – EKO Acropolis Rally Greece
- 17 – 20 July – Delfi Rally Estonia
- 31 July – 03 August – Secto Rally Finland
- 28 – 31 August – Rally del Paraguay
- 11 – 14 September – Rally Chile Bio Bío
- 16 – 19 October – Central European Rally
- 06 – 09 November – FORUM8 Rally Japan
- 27 – 30 November – Rally Saudi Arabia
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For Media Enquiries:
- Saudi Motorsport Company: media@saudimotorsport.com
- SMG Contact: press@thesmg.com
- SMG MENA: mena@thesmg.com
About SMC
SMC is the dedicated commercial entity established to bring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s motorsport events under a single umbrella and is the first body in Saudi Arabia dedicated to commercializing motorsport at a national level.
SMC acts as the local promoter for KSA’s growing motorsports events portfolio which currently includes the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the world-renowned Dakar Rally as well as an annual round of the ground-breaking Extreme E series.
These recurring major motorsports events are delivering directly against the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 with each committed to long-term deals that have helped Saudi Arabia to develop an unrivalled portfolio that is not replicated anywhere else in the world.
About SAMF:
The Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) sets forth governance and safety standards across all motorsports in Saudi Arabia, aiming to enhance participation and performance through effective coordination among stakeholders and competitors.
SAMF’s role as the sole regulator of motorsports in the kingdom, emphasizes the country’s commitment to hosting world-class events that prioritize competitors’ and spectators’ wellbeing above anything else.
At the forefront of organizing exciting motorsports events, SAMF regulates world-renowned events including Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula E Diriyah ePrix, Dakar Rally, and an annual round of the groundbreaking Extreme E-series.
In addition, SAMF provides proficient judges for various motorsports competitions and maintains control over national and international motorsports racing events held within Saudi Arabia, ensuring that all adhere to fair, regulated, and highly safe standards.
SAMF issues licenses to national and international motorsports racing competitors and memberships. Additionally, SAMF oversees the registration process for motorsports racing teams and events, authorizing both national and international competitions.
Established in 2006, SAMF represents Saudi Arabia in international federations (FIA, FIM, and FIVA), aiming to foster the development and sponsorship of motorsports and motorcycle activities on a global scale.
