2026 Oman International Baja
FIA World and Middle East Baja Cup, candidate event
December 17th-19th, 2026
For immediate release
Tuesday, September 29th, 2026
OMAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION OUTLINES PLANS FOR RESCHEDULED NEW FIA CANDIDATE BAJA IN DECEMBER
MUSCAT (OMAN): The Oman Automobile Association (OAA) has now announced that the rescheduled new Oman International Baja will take its place in the international sporting calendar on December 17th-19th, 2026.
Postponed from its original date in March because of hostilities in the Gulf region, the three-day event will be an official FIA candidate for inclusion in the 2027 FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups.
It will run in conjunction with the last three days of the Bidiyah Sands Carnival, which is being hosted by Wilayat of Bidayah in the North Al-Sharqiyah Governorate between November 19th and December 19th.
This comprehensive national event will combine motorsport, other sports, entertainment and cultural activities to further promote tourism in the Bidiyah region of the Sultanate of Oman. It will feature a fully integrated Event Village with spectator areas and live broadcast screens.
The OAA has been organising its flagship Oman International Rally as an ever-present integral round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship since 2020, although the inaugural event dates back to 1979.
Over the years, famous rally stars like the late Björn Waldegård, current FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Qatari legends Saeed Al-Hajri and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and local star Abdullah Al-Rawahi have graced the top step of the podium. The OAA also organises world-class drifting and karting competitions.
The exciting new Baja will take full advantage of some of the most spectacular off-road terrain in the country and will be open to cars running under the auspices of the FIA and to motorcyclists and quads running in the FIM section.
The Baja will be based in the heart of Bidiyah, among the Sharqiya dunes and the surrounding sands of the Rub Al-Khali. Further details will be finalised in the coming days, but it is expected to run over a Prologue stage to determine starting orders and then two demanding desert selective sections across the remote Bidiyah and Al-Qabil regions.
Bidiyah is located in the eastern region of the country – around 233km from Muscat – and shares its northern border with the province of Al-Qabil. The Eastern Sands of Oman are a vast array of red and brown dunes covering around 10,000 square kilometres. The renowned Sharqiya sands (formerly known as Wahaiba Sands) are a major attraction in the region and will play host to the inaugural Baja.
The Baja is being held under the presidency of Brigadier Jamal Al-Tai with vital support from vice-president Suleiman Al-Rawahi, Anwar Al-Zadjali, clerk of the course Khaled Zakaria, his deputy Sanad Al-Rawahi and Nicolas Hindy.
Brigadier Jamal Al-Tai said: “We are delighted that the Oman Baja will take place as an official candidate in late December. It marks an exciting new chapter in the motorsport history of the Sultanate of Oman. The country has a proud legacy in stage rallying dating back to the late 1970s but this is the first official cross-country Baja to be hosted in the country.
“The choice of North Al-Sharqiya, particularly the renowned desert landscapes of Bidiyah, provides the perfect setting for the first event of its kind. The towering dunes, the vast open desert and demanding terrain offer an ideal environment for Baja-style competition. The launch of the Baja reflects the country’s ongoing commitment to expanding its motorsport portfolio and is a proud moment for Oman.”
The Baja will be based out of the Jawharat Bidiyah Resort with the service park located at the nearby Bidiyah Green Homes Park. This will also host the ceremonial start, while the finish location will be based at the Bidiyah 4×4 Club.
It will run in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and the Al-Sharqiya North Governorate with sponsorship from Shell Oman.
For further details, contact the Oman Automobile Association, Tel: +968 911 07412 and +968 722 44034 and Email: rally@omanauto.org.
Registration for both the FIA and FIM sections is now available from the following link: OMAN INTERNATIONAL BAJA – Oman Automobile Association.
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For further media information: 2026 Oman International Baja, Mohammed Al-Raisi, Media Manager and PR Officer, Email: rally@omanauto.org.
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