Saudi Arabia’s journey towards its FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) debut takes a major step forward in May as the Kingdom hosts a candidate event - and entries are now open.

Taking place from 1 - 3 May, Rally Saudi Arabia marks the FIA Middle East Rally Championship’s (MERC) first-ever visit to Jeddah, underlining the Kingdom’s deepening commitment to rallying ahead of its WRC debut in November. As round three of the 2025 MERC, the rally will give competitors a vital early look at the terrain set to feature in the WRC season finale later this year.

The event hub will be based at Jeddah’s world-famous Corniche Circuit, home to the FIA Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Here, competitors will prepare their cars inside the iconic F1 pit garages, with Rally HQ housed in the race control building.

Crews will tackle 12 competitive stages to the north of Jeddah, covering a total of 192km across two days. Several of the roads used will also feature when the WRC arrives in November, offering competitors an early taste of the terrain that will test rallying’s finest later this year. From vast desert landscapes to rugged volcanic rock and dramatic mountain passes, the rally promises a uniquely challenging mix unlike anything else on the WRC calendar.

The MERC has, in recent years, attracted the likes of Nasser Al-Attiyah, Kris Meeke, Mads Østberg and Andreas Mikkelsen, and anticipation is building over which big names could join the candidate event. The championship also features rounds in Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and Cyprus.

While the official entry list will be revealed closer to the event, there’s strong expectation that WRC manufacturers could enter Rally2 machinery as part of their preparations for the season-ending spectacle.

Competitors looking to enter the candidate event can find more information via the Rally Saudi Arabia website.