USA misses out as WRC reveals 2026 calendar

The World Rally Championship will once again be contested over 14 rounds in 2026, although much anticipated plans to host a round in the USA have not come to fruition.

Next year the schedule will begin in Monte Carlo in January and end in Saudi Arabia in November, but will undertake a slightly different complexion compared to 2025. The most notable change sees Rally Japan moving from its November berth to May when it will host the seventh round of the season from 28-31 May.

By interrupting what would otherwise be a long sequence of gravel rallies, the move helps to limit the impact of road sweeping for early championship leaders. Since 2023, the calendar has featured a run of seven consecutive gravel events that has ignited a debate over road position rules.

There had been hopes the WRC would make a return to the USA for the first time since the 1988 Olympus Rally, with the project a key part of its plan to grow the category. As reported in April, the WRC had a multi-year contract in place to host an event in Tennessee which was listed on a proposed 2026 calendar, subject to approval from the FIA and the national federation national federation ACCUS.

However, it appears plans for the WRC to head to the USA have been postponed for at least another year.

Interestingly, the calendar announcement doesn’t include the location for the championship’s visit to Italy. The event will however move from its traditional June date to October when it will host the penultimate round of the season.

Sardinia’s rough gravel roads have hosted the WRC every year, barring 2009, since the event moved from Sanremo on the mainland in 2004. Italy has also been represented in the WRC by Rally Monza in 2020 and 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions were in place.

This year’s event was the last of its current deal and it is understood Rally di Roma Capitale is keen to elevate its asphalt event from European Rally Championship status to WRC level.

Following an announcement in November last year, Croatia will rejoin the championship after it was moved to the ERC this year.

“This is a calendar built with purpose,” said WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel. “It’s diverse, it flows well, and it reflects the feedback we’ve had from teams, drivers and stakeholders. We’ve put real thought into how the sequence of events can impact the sporting fight.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, added: “The 2026 WRC calendar is a powerful reflection of the championship’s global strength and appeal. It combines the heritage of iconic rallies with the return of newer events in regions where participation and interest in rallying continues to grow.”

World Rally Championship 2026 calendar