"The Rally must remain in Sardinia": Di Nolfo calls for Sardinia’s round to be defended

Regional councillor Valdo Di Nolfo is calling for Italy’s round of the World Rally Championship to remain in Sardinia, after it is set to move to Rome from 2027. The call comes after Rally Italia Sardegna, held in Alghero from October 1 to 4, became the final round of the 2026 WRC season and a decisive event in Elfyn Evans’s title win.

Di Nolfo described the event as a sporting and economic asset for the island, pointing to its impact in terms of promotion, visitor numbers and work for businesses and accommodation providers. The councillor called on Sports Minister Andrea Abodi and ACI President Angelo Sticchi Damiani to reconsider the move, arguing that Sardinia had shown it could host an international event. The event awarded the world title after the round in Saudi Arabia was cancelled.

In support of his request, Di Nolfo pointed to the financial and organisational commitment of the Sardinia Region. The regional administration confirmed that its contribution to the event had risen to €3.5 million, guaranteed by law through 2030. The funding, however, does not amount to confirmation that the WRC will remain on the island: the move of the world championship round to Rome from 2027 was announced in 2025.

The statement drew a response from the centre-right group leaders on Alghero City Council: Marco Tedde, Raffaele Salvatore, Michele Pais, Alessandro Cocco, Massimiliano Fadda and Giovanna Caria. According to the signatories, Abodi and the ACI president are not the ones who decide where the championship is held: that choice belongs to WRC Promoter and the FIA. The group leaders also say that the ACI had supported keeping the event in Sardinia, and point to the work of the City of Rome and Rally di Roma Capitale as the initiatives that helped the capital’s bid.

Alghero’s representatives propose immediately setting up a permanent round table open to Sardinia’s political and institutional forces, involving the Region, the Government, the ACI and the City of Alghero. Their proposal aims to build a bid to bring the World Championship back to Sardinia through allocated funding, discussions with WRC Promoter and the FIA, and a multi-year plan. From 2027 to 2030, the island is still due to host the European Rally Championship (ERC), which is separate from the WRC world series.