The World Rally Championship (WRC) has officially announced its return to Croatia in 2026. While the rally will not feature on the 2025 calendar, all necessary documentation and guarantees have been finalized, ensuring that Croatia will once again host the world’s elite rally drivers and crews, according to SportNetHR.
The Croatian rally will make its comeback as part of a multi-year agreement, running from 2025 through to 2027. The European Rally Championship (ERC) will take place in 2025, followed by the return of the WRC Croatia Rally in 2026 and 2027. An official signing of the contract between the Croatian rally organizers and the WRC promoter is expected in the coming days, marking the start of preparations for the events.
“Thanks to the completed documentation and the issued guarantees, we can already announce that Croatia will continue to host the world’s best rally drivers and crews,” said Daniel Šaškin, President of the Organizing Committee of Croatia Rally. “We are bringing the European Rally Championship to Croatia in 2025, and then the WRC Croatia Rally will return in 2026 and 2027. We thank all the institutions for their support, especially the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, who recognized the value of this motoring event for Croatia.”
Šaškin also emphasized the collaboration between local and national partners that will be crucial to ensuring the successful organization of these events. “Together with the WRC promoter and our local partners, counties, and municipalities, we are already starting to plan the preparation and executive organization of the competition. We are grateful for the continued support of the City of Zagreb, as well as the Croatian Auto and Karting Association as important partners of these events,” he added.
The decision to support the events was confirmed during a session of the Croatian Government, which highlighted the importance of these international motoring competitions for the country’s tourism and economy. The Government also approved co-financing for the ERC in 2025 and the WRC in 2026 and 2027.
With these agreements in place, rally fans can look forward to seeing the thrilling competition of the WRC and ERC return to the Croatian landscape. The Croatia Rally, known for its challenging tarmac roads and breathtaking scenery, has quickly become a fan-favorite since its debut on the WRC calendar in 2021, and its return is highly anticipated by fans and teams alike.