The 2026 sports calendar will open with one of its most emblematic events: Rally Dakar. The 48th edition will take place between January 3 and 17 in Saudi Arabia, bringing together competitors from 96 countries and maintaining its historic hallmark as the most demanding race on the planet.
The route will maintain an imposing format. All vehicles will start in Yanbu (motorcycles, cars, Challenger, SSV, trucks, Dakar Classic, M1000, and Stock) and will have to cover almost 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles) distributed over 13 stages, returning to the starting point with the Red Sea as a backdrop. The Saudi city was already a key part of the competition in 2021 and the venue for the final in 2024.
For this year, the organizers decided to eliminate the "48-hour timed" stage and bring back the classic marathon stage format, with two in total throughout the competition. In these stages, the participants will have to sleep in camps without technical assistance and rely solely on their tools to repair damage.
Meanwhile, the Argentine delegation will have around twenty entrants, led by Nicolás Cavigliasso and Valentina Pertegarini, Challenger world champions, as well as Luciano Benavides, who returns to action with KTM after recovering from injuries suffered in Rally Morocco.
The major absentee will be Juan Cruz Yacopini in cars, who was the victim of a serious accident at El Carrizal dam that has left him hospitalized with severe injuries, which leaves Argentina without representatives in that category.
Where to watch Dakar 2026
Each day will begin in the early hours of the Argentine morning and can be followed live on América TV and ESPN channels, as well as via streaming through Disney+ Premium. These platforms will also be available online on Flow, DGO, and Telecentro Play.
All the stages of Dakar 2026
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Editor’s note: "Especial" is the competitive section of the stage, where the participants’ times are measured and where they actually compete against each other.
