USA edging closer to WRC return in 2027

The World Rally Championship making a return to the USA next year is a step closer, with a candidate test rally planned later this year.

The WRC has long held an ambition to 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. In 2024 the championship announced a “clear roadmap” to achieving a USA event in 2026 that included direct investment and involvement in event promotion from WRC Promoter.

There had been hope a gravel-based Rally USA event located in Tennessee would feature on the 2026 calendar, with a multi-year deal on the table before a mutual decision was made between the governing body, the WRC Promoter and ACCUS to delay the USA’s appearance on the WRC calendar until 2027 at the earliest to ensure the event has the best chance to be a success.

Now the FIA has confirmed that a candidate event will be held in 11-17 June in preparation for the event to feature in next year’s calendar.

Delegates will explore stages and infrastructure across Kentucky and Tennessee, gaining first-hand insight into the terrain and facilities. The programme will also include a visit to a round of the American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship, offering the FIA a chance to engage directly with the US rally community, including organisers, volunteers and fans.

Meetings are also scheduled with the proposed event promoter and organiser, Podium Event Partners, which has long-established experience across multiple motor sport disciplines, including NASCAR.

Juha Kankkunen, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President

Photo by: Toyota Racing

“The United States represents one of the most important growth opportunities for the FIA World Rally Championship,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“It is a nation where motorsport is part of the cultural DNA, with world-class domestic championships and a rapidly growing appetite for global competition. I am deeply committed to strengthening the FIA’s presence in the US and ensuring that rallying becomes a defining pillar of that future.

“With five FIA-sanctioned events already established across three FIA World Championships across the nation, the foundations are firmly in place. Now is the time to build on that momentum. Expanding the WRC into North America would not only enhance the championship’s global reach, but connect rallying with a knowledgeable, passionate, and expanding fanbase in a market where participation and engagement continue to accelerate and grow.”

WRC Promoter Rally USA Project Leader Marc de Jong said: “The United States undoubtedly represents a major growth opportunity for the FIA World Rally Championship. It’s a really important market for our stakeholders and partners and in recent years, we have seen remarkable growth in fan interest.

“WRC Promoter’s plans to bring the WRC back to the USA have been germinating for some time and the confirmation of this candidate event marks a significant step. It is a major milestone in WRC’s much anticipated return to the US, after an absence of nearly 40 years.”

The prospect of the WRC potentially returning to the USA next year is likely to appeal to manufacturers given the nation’s impact on the automotive industry.

Miki Biasion, Tiziano Siviero, Lancia Delta Integrale

Photo by: Motorsport Images

“The USA is a place that is at the centre around the car industry and car culture, so not being inside for the WRC was a little sad up to now. This is really exciting and we are happy as it is a world championship after all,” said Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, when asked about the USA’s importance for the WRC at Rally Monte Carlo last week.

The USA is among a number of nations currently vying to join the WRC in the future. Great Britain, Ireland, Indonesia, China, Australia and New Zealand are either working on bids or considering hosting events in the future.

At this point in time the USA is the only nation to have lodged an official application to the FIA to host a candidate event this year.