For the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship calendar there will be a brand-new country being added to the circus as Paraguay becomes the 38th country to host a WRC round as the deal got announced at the Ceremonial Start of Petrobras Rally Transchaco 2024 by the Paraguayan capital Asunción and President Santiago Peña. According to local news the country have signed an agreement to host a rally for the upcoming three years which means Paraguay will be part of the calendar from 2025 to 2027.
“Paraguay is big, and the world is in the process of discovering us and hosting world-class events such as the WRC, is yet another way to show the world our greatness,” the Paraguayan President said.
The arrival of Paraguay on the calendar means there will be two South American countries hosting WRC rounds next year as Rally Chile is also set to be getting a spot in the 2025 FIA WRC calendar.
“We have been in discussions with Paraguay already for a number of years and I am incredibly pleased to see this agreement across the line, there is no questioning the nation’s passion for rallying and we cannot wait to transmit this passion, as well as Paraguay’s spectacular scenery, around the world.” Simon Larkin, WRC Senior Event Director said.
Credit: @World / Red Bull Content Pool & FIA World Rally Championship
The city of Encarnacion, along the Paraná River will be the city to host the rally and it will see many fans from Argentine going across the bridge as the border between the two countries run alongside the Parana River. The official routes for the rally hasn`t been announced yet but the stages are set to run around the Itapúa region and will probably include some famous stages from the FIA CODASUR South American Rally Championship.
“Welcoming Paraguay to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2025 is a fantastic opportunity for the series and all its stakeholders to explore new horizons. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my friend Hugo R. Mersan Galli, Chairman of the Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo, and his team, for their efforts in developing our sport, to the organisers of Rally Paraguay and to the President of Paraguay Mr Santiago Peña for his invaluable support.” Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President said.
Beside Paraguay there will also be two other new rounds in the 2025 FIA WRC calendar as Rally Islas Canarias will make a step over to WRC after hosting rounds for the FIA European Rally Championship for some years and Saudi Arabia is also set to make its debut after signing a long-term agreement to host a WRC round in the Middle-East.
The round is subject to World Motor Sport Council approval.