It’s showtime in the World Rally Championship

After 13 pulsating rounds, the FIA World Rally Championship will be decided in the desert heat - as Rally Saudi Arabia hosts the title fight of the ages.Three drivers can be crowned champion in the Kingdom this weekend, and lying in their path is the final brand-new event of the season. 

The drivers in question are Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä - all driving for the all-conquering Toyota team. The Japanese manufacturer has quite literally dominated the proceedings in 2025, winning all but one of the 13 events on the globe-trotting calendar to date. With the manufacturers title sewn up - all three superstars have free rein to fight amongst themselves for the coveted drivers title.

British hero Elfyn Evans has led the championship for the majority of the season and will once again lead the crews away - sweeping the road for those behind him. With Rally Saudi Arabia a complete unknown, many are unsure of the advantage or penalty this will provide. Stages have traits of the tough Safari nature, as well as the high-speed the European gravel rallies serve up. Can the Welshman’s steel and nerve carry him to the title? It’s been 24 years since a Brit won the overall laurels. Evans has never won the WRC crown before and carries the hopes of a nation desperate for another title. He has been in a title battle twice before, so will have to muster his past learnings to help guide him to victory this weekend.

While Britain has had to wait nearly three decades, France has had to wait only four years for another moment to come round. Sébastien Ogier trails his teammate Evans by three points in a winner takes all fight - a throwback to the 2020 season finale between the pair at Monza. Ogier is on the brink of history. He could become a record equalling nine-time world champion and be the first driver in the modern era to win the top accolade by only doing a part season. Such has been his speed and tenacity, the calculating Frenchman has won when he needed to, sat behind Evans on the road to take advantage of road sweeping and now is poised to leapfrog and fight for title number nine at the last gasp.

The third member of the title trident is Finn Kalle Rovanperä - the final Toyota Yaris Rally1 driver in the hunt. He would need things to go in his favour and trouble to strike the other two - but on a journey into the unknown - anything can happen at just 24 points behind. Rally Saudi Arabia will be the two-time champion's swan-song, as the 25-year-old will step away from rallying before switching to a career in circuit racing. His form has been yo-yo like this year, with sheer brilliance shouldered with head-scratching searches for pace. A dark horse, but one you should discount at your peril. Kalle will want to round out his career on a high and the triple crown would be the icing on the cake.

Following Rally Japan, Toyota announced their 2026 line-up and as DAZN News correctly predicted Oliver Solberg will step-up into a Rally1 Yaris in 2026 after his brilliant season in the WRC2 support category. He walked out with Japanese hero Takamoto Katsuta and rising star Sami Pajari. Both will be filled with confidence, with a contract now in their back pocket, and this pressure removal will hopefully give them the confidence to round out the year with a podium if not victory - but rest assured will be asked to stay out of the fight with the aforementioned drivers above.

Over at Hyundai, they too will be saying farewell to one of their own. 2019 world champion Ott Tänak has won 22 rallies and despite being out of the title hunt, would dearly love to make it 23 wins as he looks to step back from the top of the sport. Another man looking to end 2026 on a high will be outgoing world champion Thierry Neuville. The world number one has yet to nick a top-spot in 2025, and the unknown of the desert and distraction of the title fight for others could well play into the Belgian's hands nicely. 

Those conditions could also suit stablemate Adrien Fourmaux, who still seeks his first ever win. The Frenchman goes well in new events and new conditions, and has gathered three podiums already this year. With the i20 Rally1 pilot set to be retained by the Korean firm - Fourmaux would dearly love that first top step right now to put him in the best place ahead of the winter.  

Over at M-Sport Ford, ranks will be swelled as the British independent team will welcome not one but two familiar faces for a four-car line-up. Returning to the Puma Rally1 is Latvian hot-shot Mārtiņš Sesks - who we last saw in the summer in Finland. He is without a drive in 2026 and with vacant seats at Hyundai and M-Sport to be filled, he will want a solid Middle Eastern run to put himself in the shop window. 

The hugely experienced Nasser Al-Attiyah is no stranger to the desert and its conditions - the multiple Middle Eastern champion will be hoping to help propel the Puma towards the top five for the Cumbrian concern. As will regular drivers Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster who will be fighting for top-dog status in the overall standings, as the pair are separated by just ten points with one event remaining.

Watch WRC on DAZN

Follow all the action from the FIA World Rally Championship finale LIVE this weekend from Rally Saudi Arabia - 26th -29th November. The title gets decided right here, right now. The 2025 World Rally Championship is available through DAZN on its own dedicated app channel,  Rally TV. It is available either as a dedicated Rally TV subscription, or as part of your existing DAZN subscription for a small add-on fee.

DAZN is the home of Rally TV worldwide, excluding Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, China, Hong Kong and Japan.

Rally TV also broadcasts every rally from the FIA European Rally Championship.

Watch every WRC and ERC rally this year on DAZN's 24-hour dedicated Rally TV channel. For more information on prices, subscriptions and more, click here.