Big blow as Waterford to miss out on hosting WRC Rally in 2025

In a surprise turn of events for the car rallying community of Ireland, Motorsport Ireland have announced that Waterford and two other Irish venues will not host the FIA World Rally Championship next year.

There was huge elation in Waterford back in January as it was confirmed that the World Rally Championships would be staged in the Quays on one of the years between 2025 and 2028, subject to governmental funding.

The event would have been a serious boost for Waterford, Limerick and Tralee, Co Kerry, which were tipped to host the major global sporting event. Conservative estimates suggested the tournament could have brought €100m into the local economies, as well as up to 250,000 visitors.

The FIA World Rally Championship is the second only to Formula One in terms of following in the motorsport discipline. In 2022 the series had a global TV audience of 841 million and has a combined social media following of 6.87 million.

Motorsport Ireland confirmed that Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has not been able to make a financial commitment to host the event in time for the bidding process deadline.

"It is with deep regret that Motorsport Ireland today confirm that Ireland is no longer being considered to host a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2025. On Monday, April 15 Motorsport Ireland finally received confirmation from Minister Byrne, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, that his Department would need “at least six months” to undertake further independent economic assessments and analysis of our proposal."

Read the full statement from Motorsport Ireland here.

Motorsport Ireland President, Aiden Haper, said: “I am saddened that it has come to this but unfortunately, we are left with no option.

“We always stated that the FIA World Rally Championship could only come to Ireland with the financial support of Government while always being aware that the funding may not be forthcoming. It is a great shame to have to hand this great opportunity, and the economic benefit it would bring, over to another awaiting country.”

President Harper continued by saying: “In January of this year, Motorsport Ireland announced the three regions, Kerry, Limerick and the South East, that would host the events should funding be secured. Non-inclusion in 2025 is in no way any reflection on any of those areas. The work that has been put in by them has been incredible and I thank them for that."