BIDIYAH : Oman will stage its first Oman International Baja as the headline motorsport event of the month-long Bidiyah Sands Carnival 2026, bringing international cross-country rallying to the deserts of North Al Sharqiyah Governorate.

The carnival will run from November 19 to December 19 in the Wilayat of Bidiyah, combining motorsport, competitive sports, entertainment, cultural activities and desert experiences in one of Oman’s best-known adventure tourism destinations.

At the centre of the programme will be the Oman International Baja, the first championship of its kind to be staged in the Sultanate.

The event will be organised under the umbrella of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), with internationally recognised organisational, technical and safety standards.

Organisers see the championship as a step towards strengthening Oman’s presence on the international motorsport calendar and potentially paving the way for the country to host a future round of the FIA Baja World Cup.

Baja rallying is a form of cross-country desert motorsport in which competitors tackle challenging natural terrain, including sand dunes, open desert tracks, wadis and other off-road routes.

The Oman event will feature several vehicle categories, including four-wheel-drive cars, motorcycles, quad bikes and SSVs.

More than 150 participants representing over 20 countries are expected to take part in the carnival, alongside more than 150 media representatives, over 200 volunteers and more than 300 organisers and operational staff.

Beyond international motorsport, the carnival will feature a wider programme aimed at attracting athletes, families and visitors to Bidiyah.

Among the sporting events will be the Bidiyah Sands Challenge, an obstacle race built around the area’s natural desert terrain and dunes.

The challenge will include a five-kilometre course for adults, with separate categories for professional athletes, amateurs and corporate teams. A 500-metre race will also be held for children.

An integrated Event Village will form another major part of the carnival, featuring spectator areas, sponsor activation zones, live broadcast screens and a dedicated area for small and medium enterprises.

Interactive zones and desert experiences will also be available, with organisers seeking to combine sporting competition with entertainment, shopping and community activities.

The carnival forms part of a broader plan to establish Bidiyah Sands Carnival as an annual fixture and strengthen the wilayat’s position as a regional and international destination for desert tourism and adventure sports.

Organisers expect the month-long event to generate wider economic activity across North Al Sharqiyah, including increased demand for hotels, desert camps and other accommodation.

Restaurants, cafés, retail businesses and transport services are also expected to benefit from the influx of competitors, officials, media and visitors, while the event is expected to create direct and indirect opportunities for businesses and individuals working in related sectors.

Small and medium enterprises will have a dedicated presence at the carnival as part of efforts to ensure that economic activity generated by the event reaches local businesses and service providers.

The organisers also aim to use the carnival to showcase Bidiyah’s desert landscape and tourism assets to visitors from Oman and overseas.

By combining international motorsport with adventure sports, tourism and entertainment, the Bidiyah Sands Carnival is intended to support the diversification of Oman’s tourism offering and increase the economic contribution of sports tourism.

The longer-term objective is to establish the carnival as a sustainable annual event and position Bidiyah as a recognised destination on the regional and international desert sports calendar.

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