When the FIA World Rally Championship arrives in Scotland in 2027, it will come to a city and region with a proven record of delivering major international events. The clearest recent evidence sailed into the harbour last summer.
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 brought 50 spectacular vessels and thousands of international crew members from around the world to the city.
Held from 19 to 22 July, Europe’s largest free family event delivered four days of racing, music, entertainment and community activity. It attracted almost 500,000 visits and generated more than £30 million for the regional economy.
Delivering an event on that scale takes serious organisation. Transport, security, volunteer coordination, visitor services and business engagement all had to be managed, with partners working closely across the city. Aberdeen rose to the challenge.
A team of 300 volunteers helped keep the event moving, while nearly 250 young people from the north-east joined the ships as sail trainees. Crowds filled the quayside, city centre and beachfront for a programme that included sold-out concerts, a crew parade and a display by the Red Arrows.
The event’s success was recognised with a string of awards. Tall Ships Aberdeen received the Host Port Trophy and the Sultan Qaboos Sailing Trophy for its contribution to youth sail training. It was also named Best Large Festival and won Best Brand Activation at the Scottish Event Awards.
The city has the infrastructure to match that experience. Rally Scotland’s base, P&J Live, is the largest events complex in the north of Scotland, offering 48,000 square metres of flexible space. This includes an extensive underground parking area that will house the WRC Service Park.
Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have plenty of experience in major sport too. The region hosted the Grand Depart of the 2022 Tour of Britain, sending 80 of the world’s leading riders from Aberdeen city centre through Aberdeenshire to the finish at Glenshee. The accompanying GetAbout Aberdeen Cycling Festival was later named Sporting Event of the Year at the Scottish Event Awards.
During 2024/25, Sport Aberdeen’s venues welcomed more than 1.45 million participants and staged 179 events, including national and international competitions.
Every major event adds to the region’s experience. It strengthens local partnerships and builds the practical knowledge needed to welcome and manage large crowds.
Rally Scotland will bring a new set of demands. The WRC attracts teams, officials, media and supporters from around the world, with action stretching from Aberdeen into the forests and communities of Aberdeenshire.
The scenery and stages may grab the attention, but behind them will stand a host region that has already proved it can deliver on an international scale.
Photo credit: Aberdeen city council
