Rally USA will be based in Knoxville and begin with a ceremonial start in Nashville when the World Rally Championship returns to the United States in 2027.
The 26-29 August event will be the first WRC round held in America since the Olympus Rally in 1988, ending a 39-year absence. Knoxville, Tennessee, will serve as rally headquarters, with the service park and fan-focused WRC Arena based at World’s Fair Park and the Knoxville Convention Centre.
Crews will first gather for a high-profile ceremonial start on Nashville’s Lower Broadway before heading into the competitive stages.
Rally USA to cross Tennessee and Kentucky
The gravel rally will cover more than 15 counties across Tennessee and Kentucky, with stages stretching from the Appalachian Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Crews can expect fast gravel roads, technical forest sections and significant elevation changes as the championship establishes its newest event.
WRC Promoter chief executive Eric Boullier said the United States had “long been a priority” for the championship, with the American market viewed as an important part of its future growth.
Rally USA will form part of an expanded 15-round WRC calendar in 2027 and is scheduled to be the 11th event of the season. Organisers are also planning live music, driver appearances and fan events in Knoxville, with celebrations expected in communities along the route.
The combination of a Nashville launch, Knoxville base and gravel stages across two states gives the WRC a major platform for its American comeback – 39 years after the championship last raced in the United States.
Source: WRC
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