The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), working in collaboration with the FIA, Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS) and Podium Events, has taken a step towards a return to the United States with a WRC candidate event to be held this June.

Scheduled for June 11-17, 2026, the candidate event will be assessed against full WRC standards across stages in Tennessee and Kentucky, as part of a structured process that could open the door to a full WRC round from 2027.

The United States last hosted a WRC round in 1988 when the Olympus Rally formed part of the global calendar, according to series officials.

The trial event will be delivered in collaboration with ACCUS and closely evaluated by FIA delegates, covering all aspects of rally delivery, including sporting operations, safety, infrastructure and event promotion, WRC officials said.

Alongside stage and service park assessments, the program will include engagement with the American rally community through a visit to a round of the American Rally Association (ARA) National Championship, as well as meetings with proposed promoter Podium Event Partners, which brings experience from multiple areas of American motor sport.

The move underlines the championship's long-term ambition to expand its global footprint and establish a sustainable presence in one of the world's most significant motorsports markets, series officials said.

"Plans to bring WRC back to the USA have been germinating for some time and the confirmation of this candidate event marks a major milestone," said Rally USA project leader Marc de Jong. "It is a significant step in the championship's much-anticipated return to the U.S., after an absence of nearly 40 years."

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the United States represented a key growth opportunity for the championship.

"The United States represents one of the most important growth opportunities for the FIA World Rally Championship," he said. "It is a nation where motorsport is part of the cultural DNA, home to world-class domestic championships and a rapidly growing appetite for global competition.

"Expanding the WRC into North America would not only elevate the championship's global reach, but unite rallying with a knowledgeable, passionate and expanding fanbase in a market where participation and fan engagement continue to accelerate."

For more information, visit wrc.com.

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