Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) has won the Best Sports Event award at the 2026 Saudi Event Awards for its delivery of WRC Rally Saudi Arabia 2025, the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
The award was presented during a ceremony in Riyadh on September 13, recognising SMC’s operational efficiency, professional event execution and the overall experience delivered to participants and spectators.
Both WRC Rally Saudi Arabia 2025 and Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2026 were shortlisted for the award. The entries were evaluated through a two-stage judging process covering four areas: event concept and planning, venue and logistics, marketing and audience engagement, and the overall attendee experience, including hospitality and service quality.
WRC Rally Saudi Arabia Makes Championship Debut
WRC Rally Saudi Arabia 2025 marked Saudi Arabia’s debut on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar.
Held as the 14th and final round of the 2025 season, the rally brought together leading drivers and teams from across the championship. The event featured 17 special stages with more than 319 kilometres of competitive distance.
The recognition highlights the growing role of Saudi Arabia in hosting major international motorsport events and reflects the country’s efforts to develop its motorsport ecosystem as part of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
SMC operates under the supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and the Ministry of Sport, with responsibility for hosting, organising and promoting several of the Kingdom’s leading international motorsport events.
Expanding Saudi Arabia’s Motorsport Calendar
Established in 2021 by SAMF, Saudi Motorsport Company was created as a specialised commercial and operational entity to bring the Kingdom’s motorsport activities and events under one umbrella.
SMC currently supports and promotes a growing portfolio of international motorsport events in Saudi Arabia. These include the Formula 1® stc Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia, Formula E, FIA Extreme H World Cup, Jeddah GT race and FIA World Rally Championship.
Now in its second edition, the Saudi Event Awards build on the legacy of the Middle East Event Awards, which have recognised excellence, innovation and achievement across the events industry since 2009.
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