The 2026 Dakar Rally is a scheduled future edition of the Dakar Rally. As of the latest available information, the event is expected to take place in January 2026, continuing the rally's tenure in Saudi Arabia which began in 2020. Specific route details, dates, and entrants had not been fully confirmed as of early 2025. The event has not yet taken place.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, organizers typically begin planning and announcing details for the subsequent edition. The 2025 rally concluded on January 17, 2025, with Henk Lategan winning the cars category and Daniel Sanders winning the bikes category.
The Dakar Rally has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020 under a multi-year agreement. The 2026 edition is expected to continue this arrangement, with the rally traversing the Saudi Arabian desert landscape.
Historically, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) reveals the route, special stages, and regulatory changes for the upcoming Dakar Rally several months before the event, typically in the autumn preceding the rally. The 2026 route announcement was anticipated in late 2025.
The 2026 Dakar Rally is expected to begin in early January 2026, following the traditional scheduling pattern of the event. The rally typically runs for approximately two weeks with competitors covering several thousand kilometers across multiple special stages.
Based on the format of recent editions, the 2026 Dakar Rally would feature opening stages in the first week of January, with competitors in the bike, car, truck, and SSV categories navigating through Saudi Arabian terrain.
Recent Dakar Rally editions have included a scheduled rest day approximately midway through the event, typically around the second weekend of January. The 2026 edition was expected to follow this format.
The 2026 Dakar Rally is projected to conclude around mid-January 2026, following the pattern of recent editions which typically end on or around January 17-19. The final podium ceremony would be held at the finish location.
As of the most recent available information, the 2026 Dakar Rally has not yet taken place. Specific results, winners, and detailed stage information will only be available once the event is completed. The event is scheduled but details remain subject to change by organizers.