Portugal is dropped from the 2027 World Rally Championship calendar after late schedule changes. The Automóvel Club de Portugal confirms the decision on September 29, 2026.

The move surprises given Rally de Portugal’s deep WRC heritage. The gravel classic has featured since 1973, pausing only from 2002 to 2006.

Organisers signed a three-year deal in 2025 intended to run through 2028. The promoter’s geographic reshuffle, adding more intercontinental events, ultimately displaces Portugal for 2027.

The 2027 edition was pencilled for May 13–16 at a new location. It is removed after the push to include new venues forces a broader rearrangement.

Discussions are underway for a 2028 return. The near-final 2027 schedule is expected to feature Rome, Scotland, and a United States round.

Competitively, losing Portugal removes a benchmark gravel test prized for car correlation, tyre stress profiling, and reliability checks under rough-road conditions and high ambient demands.

Those planning assumptions affect setup pathways and tyre usage, especially under evolving tyre rules that shape stint length, wear management, and allocation strategy across mixed events.

Toyota and M-Sport Ford remain central players with Rally1 machinery. Title narratives, including Oliver Solberg’s progress, intersect with rising names like Joshua McErlean and Eoin Treacy.

Regulatory and technical evolution in Rally1 continues to redefine performance windows, influencing how teams plan upgrades and validate development without Portugal’s demanding mileage.

Portugal’s omission underscores the series’ balance between tradition and global growth. Stakeholders now await the final 2027 calendar while ACP pursues a swift 2028 reinstatement.

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Zane Muniz

Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.