Kenya’s place among the world’s top rallying destinations has been secured for another season after the Safari Rally was included in the 2027 World Rally Championship calendar unveiled by the FIA.
The Kenyan round is scheduled for March 18 to 21, making it the third stop of the 15-round championship after Rallye Monte-Carlo in Monaco and Rally Sweden. The decision comes after Kenya sought a five-year extension to keep the prestigious event on the WRC calendar until 2031.
The FIA, however, has not indicated the length of the hosting agreement approved for the Safari Rally beyond its inclusion in the 2027 schedule.
Kenya made its return to the WRC in 2021 after the Safari Rally spent almost 20 years outside the championship.
President William Ruto welcomed the announcement, saying the return of the event would once again put Kenya’s distinctive landscapes and roads before a worldwide audience.
“Once again, the world's finest drivers will take on our plains, our valleys and the legendary roads of Naivasha.
“The Safari was born on Kenyan soil. It belongs on Kenyan soil. Every edition fills our hotels, energises our businesses and carries the beauty of our country to screens across the world.
“I thank the Ministry of Sports, the WRC Safari Rally Project, our private-sector partners, the FIA and the WRC Promoter for making this possible,” said Ruto.
The President had recently announced that the Safari Rally would shift to a private-sector model from 2027, with businesses taking charge of its funding, management and promotion.
The Kenyan round will come early in the 2027 season, beginning with Rallye Monte-Carlo from January 21 to 24. Rally Sweden follows from February 18 to 21 before the championship heads to Kenya.
After the Safari Rally, the WRC will move to Croatia for a round scheduled from April 8 to 11, followed by Spain’s Rally Islas Canarias from May 6 to 9.
Rally Japan will host the sixth round between June 3 and 6, with Greece’s EKO Acropolis Rally following from June 24 to 27.
Italy will then host Rally d’Italia from July 8 to 11, with the event based in Rome. Rally Estonia is scheduled for July 22 to 25 before Finland hosts Secto Rally Finland from July 29 to August 1.
The championship will cross the Atlantic for Rally USA from August 26 to 29. The event marks the United States’ return to the WRC calendar for the first time in 39 years.
Britain will also make its return through Rally Scotland, which is set for September 30 to October 3.
The final stretch of the championship will feature a South American double-header, beginning with the Ueno Rally del Paraguay from October 21 to 24 and followed by Rally Chile BioBío from November 4 to 7.
Saudi Arabia will close the championship with the final round running from November 25 to 28.
The 2027 schedule is the largest WRC calendar since 2008, when the championship also featured 15 rounds, and will take competitors across five continents.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the expanded programme reflected the continued growth of the championship, pointing to the addition of events in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as the return of the United States.
“The 2027 FIA World Rally Championship calendar reflects the strong momentum behind the WRC, with new events in the United Kingdom and Italy strengthening the Championship in countries with a proud rallying heritage, while the United States gives us an exciting opportunity to grow in a country where interest in rallying continues to rise.
“With the introduction of the WRC27 technical regulations, a new promoter thanks to the deal of the century that will bring long-term investment and ambition to the championship, and a strong global calendar, the future of rallying is extremely bright,” he said.
The 2027 line-up will not include the legendary Rally de Portugal. Its absence allows Rally Japan to move higher in the running order, while the new and returning venues give the championship a broader global footprint.
For Kenya, the inclusion of the Safari Rally means the country will continue to host one of the championship’s headline events, with Naivasha once again set to welcome the world’s leading rally drivers in March.