If you've just come back from space, now's a good time to know that things have been kicking off in the Middle East this year with the US/Israel war against Iran. But as of September 8, strikes on Abha, Najran and Jazan in Saudi Arabia, where the Dakar takes place, sparked rumors that the 2027 Dakar might be cancelled. Now, the event's organizer has addressed the rumors.
On September 15, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), which organizes the Dakar, said, "The rumors regarding a possible cancellation are unfounded. The organization of Dakar 2027 is progressing as planned." If your Middle Eastern geography isn't as good as it used to be, rockets hit the far south along the Yemeni border, but the 2027 Dakar route runs through the west, starting and finishing at KAEC on the Red Sea.
