Croatia’s demanding asphalt rally was held for the first time as a WRC round in 2021. It remained part of the championship until 2024, but in 2025 Croatia hosted a round of the European Rally Championship instead of the WRC.
The city of Zagreb has served as the hub of Croatia’s WRC event every year. Next year, however, the rally will move from the inland region to the Adriatic coast and the port city of Rijeka.
According to information from Croatia, asphalt stages will be held this year in the counties of Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Karlovac and Lika-Senj. This means the rally will feature a number of new special stages.
The rally’s main base will therefore shift from the inland areas closer to the coast. The service park will be set up at the Grobnik race circuit, located around a 15-minute drive from Rijeka.
The plan is for the start and finish ceremonies to take place in central Rijeka. The organisers have not yet officially confirmed these details.
“We have never hidden our ambition for WRC Croatia Rally to be held across different parts of Croatia, and for that purpose we have prepared plans for various options and scenarios. No news or changes have been agreed or confirmed at this time with the WRC Promoter or the FIA. We will announce all details and new information about the next edition of the World Rally Championship event soon,” said Daniel Saskin, President of the Organising Committee of WRC Croatia Rally, according to Poduckun.net.
Rijeka played a small role in the 2024 WRC event, hosting the regroup and tyre fitting zone between the morning and afternoon loops. The Platak mountain stage near Rijeka has also been part of the rally since 2022.
WRC Croatia Rally will take place on 9–12 April. It is the fourth round of the 2026 season.
Next season will begin in late January with the iconic Rally Monte Carlo.
