The FIA World Rally Championship has announced its calendar for next season, where there are a total of 12 rallies set to be involved including a new location.
Among the expected rallies to be held next season there will be a completely new event in Croatia in April. The calendar also includes the Estonian round, which was held for the first time in September following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first half of the 2021 season will be focused on European events, if the issues around the pandemic continue into next year
The opening round of the season will again be run in Monte Carlo in January, with Sweden following next with its traditional winter rally in February.
The rally organisers hope to have some snow next year after this year’s mild weather in the region that made the organisers cancel several stages.
After Sweden it will be followed up with a longer break than in recent years, before Croatia makes its debut that will be run at the end of April.
After Croatia, there will be visits to Portugal and Italy before heading to the Safari Rally in Kenya which would have returned this year after a 18 year long break before the pandemic forced its 2020 cancellation.
Finland, Ireland, Chile, Spain and Japan will reportedly complete the year, with both Mexico and Argentina set to miss out.
The FIA and the WRC Promoter have opted out potential long journeys during the first half of the year in order to secure a calendar that can be easily followed by teams if COVID-19 restrictions continue to be imposed as they are currently.
The promoter has also secured five reserve rallies for 2021 – Turkey, Lithuania, Belgium, Greece and Italy with the Monza Rally can in theory be added to the calendar with short notice if new problems surrounding the pandemic arise next year.
| Round | Rally | Date | |
| 1 | Monte-Carlo | 21 – 24 January | |
| 2 | Sweden | 11 – 14 February | |
| 3 | Croatia | 22 – 25 April* | |
| 4 | Portugal | 20 – 23 May | |
| 5 | Italy | 3 – 6 June | |
| 6 | Kenya | 24 – 27 June | |
| 7 | Estonia | 15 – 18 July* | |
| 8 | Finland | 29 July – 1 August | |
| 9 | UK | 19 – 22 August* | |
| 10 | Chile | 9 – 12 September | |
| 11 | Spain | 14 – 17 October | |
| 12 | Japan | 11 – 14 November |
