The FIA and the World Rally Championship (WRC) announced on 18 September 2026 that the Saudi Arabia rally scheduled for 12–15 November, will not take place. The decision pushes the closing round forward to the Rally Italia Sardegna which will now run from 1 to 4 October in Alghero. The cancellation stems from ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which created insurmountable safety and logistical concerns despite intense negotiations with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF).
Why the Saudi stage was pulled
During the months leading up to the event, the FIA and the WRC promoter explored every conceivable contingency to keep the Saudi round on the calendar. The region’s instability, however, meant that reliable transport routes, secure service parks, and safe spectator zones could not be guaranteed. In the end, the governing bodies concluded that proceeding would jeopardise the well-being of crews, officials and local staff. No replacement event was inserted, leaving a gap of 35 potential points in the premier class.
Championship math after the cut
Impact on the top-tier title race
Before the cancellation, two rallies remained, offering a total of 70 points – 25 for the With the Saudi leg gone, only the Sardinia round can deliver those 35 points. This dramatically narrows the field of contenders. Elfyn Evans leads with 230 points, followed by Sami Pajari on 213 and Oliver Solberg on 209. The next three drivers – Sébastien Ogier (171), Adrien Fourmaux (167) and Takamoto Katsuta (163) – remain mathematically alive but must hope for a dramatic swing in a single event.
WRC2 and WRC3 title consequences
In the secondary class, the loss of the Saudi stage eliminates 25 points that could have altered the standings. Robert Virves sits atop the WRC2 leaderboard with 117 points, ahead of Yohan Rossel (85), Roope Korhonen (79) and Teemu Suninen (76). With only Sardinia left, the 32-point gap between Virves and Rossel becomes insurmountable, effectively crowning Virves champion by default.
In the third tier, the Italian duo Matteo Fontana and Alessandro Arnaboldi already command the WRC3 leaderboard (117 points to Fontana’s lead). The cancellation eliminates any chance for rivals such as Gil Membrado (99) or Tymek Abramowski (91) to challenge, cementing a second consecutive world title for the pair. Their next appearance will be in the WRC2 class at Sardinia, piloting a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The final showdown in Alghero
With the calendar trimmed, the 13th and decisive round will be the Rally Italia Sardegna organized by the ACI in cooperation with the Sardinian region and the municipality of Alghero. The programme includes 307 kilometres of timed special stages spread over 17 sections. The battle will now be a three-way duel among Evans, Pajari and Solberg, who enter the rally 21 points apart with only 35 points to distribute.
For the crews, the stakes could not be higher. Every hundredth of a second on a gravel-slick mountain road, every strategic tyre choice, and every pushed-hard Power Stage run will determine the champion. The truncated season also underscores how external factors – in this case, geopolitical tension – can reshape a championship as profoundly as on-track performance.
While the decision to cancel the Saudi Arabia round was taken in the interest of safety, the absence of a backup plan has sparked debate within the rally community. Critics argue that six months should have been sufficient to identify a viable replacement, citing the ERC Rally Six Cities North of Portugal (23–25 October) as a potential stand-in. Nonetheless, the FIA and WRC promoter have stood firm: no alternative could be mobilised in time, and the calendar now concludes in Sardinia.
The drama of the sport remains, but the final act will be written on the sun-drenched roads of Alghero.
