The Ministry of Sports has announced that Saudi Arabia will host the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time in its history, under the name “Saudi Rally,” for 10 years starting in 2025.
The event is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports in collaboration with the WRC.
The signing ceremony of the groundbreaking sports agreement took place on the island of Sardinia, Italy, in the presence of the President of SAMF and SMC, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, and the Director-General of the WRC, Jona Siebel.
“We are delighted to welcome the World Rally Championship [WRC] to the array of global sports events that have made Saudi Arabia a preferred and ideal destination, thanks to the generous support of our wise leadership,” said Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC).
“The arrival of another prestigious global racing series to the Kingdom signifies that our country has become a preferred destination for sports and athletes in various disciplines, including motorsports.”
He added that this significant event joins a list of other activities such as Formula 1, Formula E, Extreme E races, and the Dakar Rally, marking another success in the series of achievements in hosting events on Saudi soil.
The Kingdom's winning of this hosting bid marks the first of its kind in the Middle East since 2011 when the championship was held in Jordan.
