The 2027 Dakar Rally Will Run Through Portugal and Morocco

The Dakar Rally will take place in Portugal and Morocco in 2027, starting on January 9 in the city of Loulé and finishing on January 23 in Marrakech. Organizers announced the route on October 30; the course will cover 7,824 km in total, including 4,341 km of timed special stages.

How the route will unfold

In Loulé, competitors will first run a prologue. The first special stage is scheduled for January 10. After that, the vehicles will be transported from Europe to Africa, where the Moroccan leg of the race will begin.

In Morocco, the route will head south along the Atlas Mountains, passing through Zagora toward Agadir. Riders will have a rest day there. The competitors will then head south again, turn around and travel north through Smara. The finish ceremony will take place in Marrakech.

What will change for competitors

Instead of a route contained entirely within one country, the race will link a start in Portugal with a long stretch in Morocco. Transporting the vehicles between continents will be part of the schedule: after the first special stage, competitors will continue the race in Africa.

For crews, this means a change of territory and a new sequence of stages within a single rally raid. Organizers describe the change of location as exceptional and say Portugal and Morocco have agreed to host the competition. Details of the individual stages and participation requirements for the announced route have not been disclosed.

Why this route was chosen

Organizers attributed the change of location to circumstances that required the 2027 rally to be moved. Their announcement also says Portugal and Morocco made their territories available, drawing on the countries’ historic ties to the competition.

The move does not mean that the Dakar is leaving Saudi Arabia permanently. Organizers plan to return there in 2028: the 50th-anniversary Rally Dakar is expected to take place in the kingdom. For now, this is a plan for the year after the Portugal-Morocco route.

What has yet to be decided

The announcement sets out the dates, cities, route direction and total distance, but does not provide a detailed day-by-day breakdown or list the special stages. It also does not say who will compete, what specific rules will govern transporting the vehicles, or whether the schedule might change.

Practical details of the route also remain open ahead of the start: exactly where the individual sections will run, which locations will serve as checkpoints, and how the rest day in Agadir will be organized. Organizers are expected to clarify these points in future announcements.