Assetto Corsa Rally and FIA Announce Global Esports Partnership
505 Games and Supernova Games Studios, in technical partnership with KUNOS Simulazioni, are proud to announce that Assetto Corsa Rally (ACR) has been chosen by FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile - the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide) as the exclusive official platform for a landmark new international rally esports competition: the FIA Esports Global Rally Tour.
This new initiative, driven by FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has received unanimous support from all FIA regions; it will include both online qualifiers and regional shootouts and marks a major milestone in the global evolution of rally esports aligning with FIA’s commitment to inspire future generations while doubling global participation in motorsport.
The FIA Esports Global Rally Tour will feature a multi-stage competitive format, giving thousands of Assetto Corsa Rally players worldwide the opportunity to compete in a structured, merit-based championship.
Beginning on May 12, a global online qualifier hosted on Assetto Corsa Rally will select 56 top drivers worldwide: 16 from Europe (combined North and South) and 8 from each of the other five participating regions MENA, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, and Africa.
Following the initial qualification phase, the competition will move into regional shootouts, featuring a knockout format with quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final.
The series will begin with the Asia-Pacific regional shootout on 23 June, held during the FIA Conference in Macau, S.A.R. China.
The European regional shootout will follow on 16–18 October in Frankfurt, Germany, as part of the SimRacing Expo.
Dates and locations for the remaining regional shootouts will be announced at a later stage.
From this phase, the 16 best virtual rally drivers in the world will earn access to the FIA Esports Global Rally Tour Finals, scheduled to take place during FIA Awards Week in Shanghai in December, where they will compete head-to-head for international recognition, prestige, and a place on the global esports stage.
The championship will culminate on 12 December 2026, during the FIA Awards Ceremony, with the top two drivers facing off live on stage in a side-by-side Grand Final.
“One of the FIA’s key priorities is to develop the field of Esports and to connect its rapidly growing audience with our National Sporting Authorities around the world, in order to help strengthen their local initiatives”, said Niroshan Pereira, the FIA Esports Commission President. “The FIA Esports Global Rally Tour truly embodies this vision and marks a significant step forward for the sport. Rallying enjoys boundless popularity, and I am delighted to expand the scope of our Esports competitions – which have so far been focused on circuit racing – to include the discipline of rallying. We can expect to see thousands of drivers from around the world competing on Assetto Corsa Rally for the chance to showcase their talent in front of all the FIA World Champions in Shanghai later this year at the FIA Awards ceremony.”
“Being selected by the FIA as the official platform for a global rally esports competition of this scale represents an important validation step for Assetto Corsa Rally and for the work carried out by Supernova Game Studio to date”, commented Mauro Notarberardino, Studio Director at Supernova Games Studio. “While the game is still in its Early Access phase, it is already considered one of the reference points within the rally sim racing landscape. This recognition represents a promising foundation as we look ahead to the future potential of Assetto Corsa Rally.”
Currently available in Early Access on Steam, Assetto Corsa Rally, is the newest entry in the acclaimed Assetto Corsa Franchise and brings the acclaimed realistic driving physics of the AC series to one of the most demanding and spectacular forms of motorsport, delivering an authentic and immersive experience that captures the essence of rally racing - where speed, precision, and adaptability merge into one intense challenge.