Kenya will remain on the World Rally Championship calendar in 2027, after the iconic Safari Rally was confirmed as part of the expanded 15-round season.
The announcement ends months of uncertainty over the future of the event, with Kenya’s previous five-year hosting agreement coming to an end after the 2026 edition.
The FIA and WRC Promoter confirmed the 2027 calendar on Thursday,, with Safari Rally Kenya set to return as the third round of the championship from March 18-21.
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President William Ruto welcomed the decision, thanking those involved in keeping the event on the calendar.
“The Safari Rally stays home. I am delighted to confirm that Kenya will host the WRC Safari Rally in 2027.
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,” Ruto said in a social media post.
The details of the new agreement have not been made public, but Kenya’s retention comes shortly after Ruto said the Safari Rally would increasingly rely on private-sector backing.
Kenya retains WRC Safari Rally slot
That shift is expected to reduce the event’s dependence on government funding while bringing more corporate investment into one of Africa’s biggest sporting events.
Leading Gaming Firm SportPesa, was among the companies that provided financial support for the 2026 edition as organisers dealt with budget pressures.
KCB Bank Kenya, Safaricom and Kenya Breweries Limited, through White Cap, were also among the corporate partners involved.
FIA Road Sport Director Emilia Abel said keeping Kenya on the calendar had been a collective effort involving the FIA, the WRC Promoter and Kenya’s national sporting authority.
“I would say that Kenya is part of the calendar very much due to a big common effort from all sides, from the FIA, from the promoter, and the local ASN. So how exactly the financial problem was faced, I believe these details are not important. I think what is important is that it was a common effort from all sides,” Abel said.
“The Kenyan government is still backing up the whole project for sure. The exact details of the financial model behind it, that’s not up to us to comment.”
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The Safari Rally has a long history in Kenya, dating back to its inaugural running in 1953.
For decades, its rough terrain and unpredictable conditions made it one of the toughest events on the international rally calendar before it eventually disappeared from the WRC.
After almost two decades away, the Safari returned to the championship in 2021 and quickly restored its reputation as one of the most demanding rounds of the season.
The rocky tracks and deep fesh-fesh dust around Naivasha continue to provide a stern test for drivers and their cars, with the event remaining one of the most distinctive rallies on the WRC calendar.
In 2026, Takamoto Katsuta emerged victorious, taking his maiden WRC win after mastering the punishing conditions to claim victory in Kenya.
2027 World Rally Championship Calendar
- Rallye Monte-Carlo – 21-24 January
- Rally Sweden – 18-21 February
- Safari Rally Kenya – 18-21 March
- Croatia Rally – 8-11 April
- Rally Islas Canarias – 6-9 May
- Rally Japan – 3-6 June
- Acropolis Rally Greece -24-27 June
- Rally Italia Roma – 8-11 July
- Rally Estonia – 22-25 July
- Rally Finland – 29 July-1 August
- Rally US – 26-29 August
- Rally Scotland – 30 September-3 October
- Rally del Paraguay – 21-24 October
- Rally Chile – 4-7 October
- Rally Saudi Arabia – 25-28 November