Riyadh: The Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 will begin tomorrow, Saturday, January 3, as the Kingdom hosts the event for the seventh consecutive year under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport, organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), and marketed by Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), maintaining its status as one of the world's most prominent and challenging motorsport events.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal affirmed that the Kingdom's hosting of this global event reflects the support and attention the sports sector receives from the leadership, as well as the Kingdom's logistical capabilities and national human resources. These factors have contributed to the successful organization of the rally in recent years along routes spanning various regions and terrains of the Kingdom.
The minister explained that this year's edition features 812 competitors from 69 nationalities, competing in more than 433 vehicles across six categories, totaling 7,994 kilometers, including 4,840 kilometers of timed special stages. He anticipated competition among the world's elite drivers.
Chairman of the Board of SAMF and SMC Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullah bin Faisal stated that the Dakar Rally is among the prominent global sporting events hosted by the Kingdom in recent years, noting a commitment to delivering an outstanding edition that reflects the Kingdom's organizational capabilities, supported by the backing and continuous follow-up of the Minister of Sport. He added that this year's rally will feature new routes and updates, including two marathon stages.
The rally will start in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast, passing through several regions with terrain, including AlUla, Hail, Riyadh, Wadi Ad-Dawasir, Bisha, and Al-Henakiyah, before concluding in Yanbu on Saturday, January 17. It includes one prologue stage and 13 competitive stages.
This edition will feature Saudi competitors Hamzah Bakhashab and Abdullah Alshegawi in the SSV class. Both are graduates of the Saudi Next Gen program in 2025, which continues to develop national motorsport talent and empower Saudi drivers to compete internationally through training programs and a professional environment. This comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts to strengthen its presence in global motorsport, while preparing to launch a new cohort of talents ahead of selecting qualifiers to participate in the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2027.