A contract between the Croatian organizer and the WRC promoter has officially confirmed that Croatia will host the European Rally Championship (ERC) in 2025 and the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2026 and 2027.
The contract was signed by Daniel Šaškin, President of the Croatia Rally Organizing Committee and Simon Larkin, Senior Director Events of the WRC Promoter GmbH, in the presence of Josip Pavić, State Secretary of the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Robert Markt, President of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation.
Daniel Šaškin, President of the Croatia Rally Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to the Government of Croatia and all partners: “With the support of the Government of Croatia and all our partners, Croatia will host the ERC next year, followed by the WRC in subsequent years. I would also like to thank the WRC promoter for recognizing the quality of our organization and for choosing to continue these motorsport events in Croatia. Thanks to our experience and successful organization, we are solidifying Croatia as a center for motorsports, and I believe these events—the European and World Rally Championships—will continue to contribute to Croatia’s global promotion as an attractive tourist and sports destination, especially in the shoulder season. Many thanks also go to the City of Zagreb, our host, as well as all our partners and the counties hosting WRC races for their support.”
Simon Larkin, Senior Director Events of the WRC Promoter GmbH stated: “When Croatia Rally joined the WRC in 2021, we knew it would become a ‘modern classic,’ and it hasn’t disappointed us in each of the past four years. We’re thrilled to continue this adventure over the next three years in all our championships. This will add a new sporting challenge to the ERC, which we believe will attract not only our regular ERC competitors but likely some WRC teams as well. We’d like to thank the Government of the Republic of Croatia on all levels, especially the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, led by the Minister Tonči Glavina, along with Daniel Šaškin, Marin Frčko, and the entire Croatia Rally team for their unwavering support of this project.”
This contract signing follows the Government of Croatia’s Decision on granting approval for the candidacy and the Conclusion on co-financing the European Rally Championship (ERC) 2025 and World Rally Championship (WRC) 2026 and 2027, made during a session on October 3, 2024. This decision ensured the necessary guarantees, positioning Croatia firmly back on the international rally calendar.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Croatia, Josip Pavić, commented: “As a former athlete, I am extremely proud to be part of a government that recognizes and supports sports, including major events like the WRC Croatia Rally. This is indeed a major event, not only due to its significance for motorsports in Croatia but also due to its economic impact on the host destinations. WRC Croatia Rally brilliantly combines sport and tourism to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.”
Robert Markt, President of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation, expressed satisfaction with the continuation of the championship in Croatia: “This agreement, as well as the events themselves, are extremely important for Croatian motorsport and its development, bringing long-term, direct benefits to the Croatian economy and promoting Croatia as a premier sports destination. I am grateful to the Croatian government for recognizing the value of this project, as well as to the WRC promoter for recognizing the quality of our event organization and deciding to continue this valuable international sports event in Croatia.”
Since 2021, the WRC Croatia Rally has had a significant socio-economic impact on Croatia. A study by the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb shows that this event contributes to the growth of the local economy through increased tourism, promotion of Croatia as a sports destination, and strong spending in hospitality and accommodations. Economic data shows that over a million spectators have attended WRC races in Croatia, while TV broadcasts and recordings have reached almost 100 million viewers annually in 165 countries worldwide. This influence has also led to increased overnight stays in event regions, with total economic impacts estimated at over 105 million euros per season for Croatia. ERC and WRC are expected to bring additional economic benefits in the coming years, offering opportunities for further development of the tourism and service sectors.
The European Rally Championship - ERC Croatia Rally will take place from October 2-5, 2025, while the WRC Croatia Rally will return to Croatia in its traditional April slot in 2026 and 2027.
