1. Toyota’s Quintero leads legends Loeb and Al-Attiyah into decisive FIA World Rally-Raid Championship showdown
2. Sanders heads closely contested motorcycle championship as KTM and Honda battle for honours
3. Challenger and SSV categories add to championship drama across the Abu Dhabi desert
4. 35th edition to bring the world’s leading rally-raid competitors to Al Ain and Al Dhafra from November 22nd to 27th

Abu Dhabi, UAE, October 28th, 2026: The world’s leading rally-raid competitors will converge on Abu Dhabi next month with a host of international championship titles to be decided at the 35th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the final round of the 2026 FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and organised by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO) in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the event will take place from November 22nd to 27th, bringing the curtain down on a season of competition across Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Argentina and Morocco.

For the first time, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will be the final round of the series and will play host to a number of title showdowns in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

With championship battles still to be resolved in the headline car and motorcycle categories, as well as several fiercely contested supporting classes, the Desert Challenge promises to deliver a dramatic conclusion to the international rally-raid season.

The FIA World Rally-Raid Drivers’ Championship is headed by Seth Quintero of Toyota Gazoo Racing, the American pursuing a maiden title against two of the most famous names in the sport. 

Following his victory in Morocco Quintero sits on 135 points, 14 ahead of nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb on 121 points.

Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah is third on 115 points, just 20 behind Quintero. With 30 points available for the overall win in Abu Dhabi, three of the sport’s biggest names remain firmly in contention for the championship crown.

The corresponding Navigators’ Championship mirrors the drivers contest, with Toyota’s Andrew Short leading on 135 points from Dacia’s Édouard Boulanger on 121 and Fabian Lurquin on 115.

The manufacturers contest provides another compelling storyline, with Dacia Sandriders on 372 points holding a shrinking lead over Toyota Gazoo Racing on 325 following the latter team’s brace of recent wins with Ford Racing third on 232. The 47-point gap between Dacia and Toyota leaves the two manufacturers with a major prize to contest in the final round.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, said: “The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has established itself as one of the most prestigious events in international rally-raid, and it is fitting that the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships should reach their conclusion here in the UAE. 

“The 35th edition of this historic event represents an important milestone, and bringing the world championship deciders to Abu Dhabi underlines the UAE’s significant contribution to the development and growth of international motorsport. 

“The FIA is committed to strengthening rally-raid worldwide, and events such as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge demonstrate the importance of combining sporting excellence, technical innovation and close cooperation between governing bodies, organisers and local authorities. 

“With so many championship titles still to be decided across the leading categories and throughout the field, we can anticipate an outstanding finale to another remarkable season of competition.” 

The motorcycle championship is equally competitive, with Australia’s reigning champion Daniel Sanders leading the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship on 87 points for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.

His team-mate Luciano Benavides, the 2023 champion, and Honda’s Tosha Schareina are tied on 74 points, leaving both riders 13 points behind Sanders heading into the decisive final round which is also sure to feature emerging Spanish star Edgar Canet after the 21-year-old KTM rider’s sensational recent round four victory.

The motorcycle manufacturers’ championship is also finely balanced, with KTM on 176 points, Honda on 153 and Hero MotoSports on 61.

Jorge Viegas, President of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), said:

“It is tremendously exciting to see so many championship titles still to be decided as we approach the final round of the season. The competition has been exceptional, and the prospect of crowning our world champions at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge adds a special dimension to what promises to be a thrilling conclusion.

“For the first time, Abu Dhabi will host the decisive round of the championship, and there could hardly be a more fitting setting. The UAE has a rich history in cross-country rallying, and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of the sport’s most prestigious events. 

“To see our champions crowned here will be a significant moment for the championship and a wonderful celebration of the sport in a country that has contributed so much to its development.”

There is further championship interest across the FIA and FIM supporting categories. While several titles remain to be decided in Abu Dhabi, others have already been secured following the penultimate round in Morocco.

Following the announcement last month that their season is concluded, the Defender Rally can celebrate manufacturer’s success in the FIA Stock class in their debut season with Lithuania’s Rokas Baciuška securing the drivers’ crown ahead of team-mate Stéphane Peterhansel while his navigator Oriol Vidal takes the co-drivers’ title. 

Portugal’s Alexandre Pinto has won the last three rounds of the Challenger Championship and his 157 points is all but a title winning total with Dutchwoman Puck Klaassen a distant 44 points in arrears.

The SSV Championship is another category with an intriguing title contest. Argentina’s Jeremías González Ferioli leads on 157 points, 29 ahead of Lithuania’s Mindaugas Sidabras with Portugal’s João Monteiro still in contention a further five points in arrears.

The championship finale will also bring further competition for honours in the FIA supporting categories, including co-driver classifications where titles remain open.

Portugal’s Martim Ventura leads the FIM Rally2 World Cup on 94 points, 18 clear of Slovenia’s Toni Mulec (KTM), following victories in Argentina and Morocco. Under the dropped-result scoring rules, Ventura is mathematically assured of the title, subject to formal FIM confirmation.

The FIM Quad World Cup is also heading for a decisive showdown, with Lithuania’s Antanas Kanopkinas (CFMOTO) holding a 23-point lead over Bolivia’s Leonardo Martínez after his wins in Portugal and Morocco.

Mongolia’s Murun Purevdorj has already secured the FIM Rally3 World Cup, becoming the first Mongolian rider to win a World Rally-Raid Championship title. The women’s, junior and senior trophy classifications add further interest to the Abu Dhabi finale.

The 2026 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will start and finish in Al Ain for the first time in its history. The event will connect Al Ain in the east with the vast desert landscapes of Al Dhafra in the west, with Madinat Zayed hosting the main rally bivouac and serving as the operational centre of the competition.

The final competitive stage on Friday, November 27th will return the competitors to Al Ain, where the event’s ceremonial finish and prize-giving will be followed by the World Rally-Raid Championship’s end-of-season celebrations.

H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has long been one of the most important events on Abu Dhabi’s international sporting calendar, and we are particularly proud that its 35th edition will host the decisive final round of both the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships.

“With world championship titles in cars and motorcycles to be decided on Abu Dhabi soil, the event takes on even greater international significance this year. The world’s leading competitors will arrive in the UAE knowing that their performances across our challenging desert terrain could determine the outcome of an entire season of competition.

“Hosting the championship finales reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination for international sport and reflects our commitment to attracting major events that showcase the emirate to audiences around the world.

“We are proud to support the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and look forward to welcoming the competitors, teams and supporters for what promises to be a historic and memorable conclusion to the world championship season.”

With world championship titles, international honours and the prestige of winning one of the sport’s longest-established desert rallies all at stake, the 35th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is set to provide a fitting finale to the 2026 rally-raid season.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region. The event is organised by the Emirates Motorsports Organization in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is hosted with the support of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Municipality and Al Dhafra Region Municipality, with the support of Automotive Partner Al-Futtaim Toyota.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is also supported in its delivery by the Ministry of Defence and UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi Police, Civil Defence, Abu Dhabi Distribution Co, Tadweer, and media partner Abu Dhabi Sports TV.