2025
New special stages and a floating parc fermé reshape the rally’s geography.
With new special stages, a revised sporting philosophy, and a unique sea transfer, EKO Acropolis Rally 2026 introduces a competitive framework that blends tradition with innovation while maintaining the toughness that has made it one of the most challenging events in the FIA World Rally Championship.
For the sixth year in a row, EKO will be the Event Title Sponsor. This year’s rally, set for June 25 to 28 and based in Loutraki, will span three Greek Regions -Attica, the Peloponnese, and Central Greece- featuring diverse geomorphology and significant technical challenges. The event aims to establish a continuous, demanding rallying experience that connects various terrains while preserving the unique character of its special stages.
Particular emphasis has been placed on the introduction of new stages. SS “Parnassos” exemplifies this approach, combining historical reference with modern design: its first 19.28 kilometres follow part of the Droschori stage used in 2009, while the remaining section to the finish is entirely new, extending the route into previously unused terrain with successive changes in rhythm and character.
In Arcadia, the Municipality of Tripoli will host two new special stages, “Mainalo” and “Kollines”, to be run on Saturday, 27 June. SS “Mainalo”, which will be run twice during the day, starts on the road connecting Vytina and Alonistaina with the Mainalo ski centre and passes through scenic plateaus such as Arpakoti, Kapeli, and Rouhi. SS “Kollines” begins just before the village of the same name and crosses the Skiritida forest, a distinctive area of chestnut trees, black pine, and fir, creating a unique natural environment with a narrow, technical route.
In Argolis, the programme marks the return of SS “Kefalari”, which was last included in the rally itinerary in 2013. Its reintroduction expands the geographical scope of the Acropolis Rally in the eastern Peloponnese, adding a stage with a familiar yet consistently challenging profile. Meanwhile, SS “Gymno”, known from previous editions of the rally, returns with a completely new layout designed from the outset to align with the modern WRC philosophy.
A key feature of this year’s event will be the transfer of crews on Thursday evening, immediately after the Super Special Stage in Athens. Rally cars and crews will be transported from the Port of Corinth to Itea aboard a Superfast Ferries vessel. As an event sponsor and an established maritime operator serving routes between Greece and Italy, Superfast Ferries will conduct this unique logistical operation. Participants will stay overnight on board before the rally starts the next day.
This choice utilises the country’s coastline and maritime routes, integrating Greece’s distinctive geography into the very concept of the rally. It also enables a direct and efficient connection between the competitive sections in Attica, the Peloponnese, and Central Greece, allowing for a cleaner sporting route without the time and spatial constraints imposed by an exclusively road-based transfer. Similar sea crossings have been incorporated into past editions of the Acropolis Rally, when the event covered a wide geographic range, forming part of its identity as an endurance challenge and an adventure. This year’s implementation revives that tradition under modern standards of organisation and safety.
Alternate Minister of Sports, Giannis Vroutsis, stated:
“The EKO Acropolis Rally is an event with a strong international presence, highlighting Greece as a destination for major sporting occasions. This year’s design, featuring new special stages and the innovative sea transfer of the crews, utilises our country’s unique characteristics and strengthens the bond between different regions through an event of global visibility. We continue to actively support an event that brings together sport, technology, tourism and the Greek identity.”
Rally Guide 1, now published, offers essential details on the event's structure, the special stages, and the overall design of the rally, signalling the start of the final phase of preparations.
Click here for Rally Guide 1.
Click here for the itinerary.
Click here for high-resolution photos.
Click here for the EKO Acropolis Rally promo video.
