The Nissan Tat’ees Championship is expanding beyond Saudi Arabia for its second season, introducing new competition rounds in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Following its initial debut in 2025, the desert motorsport challenge will broaden its footprint to engage off-road racing communities across the wider region. The upcoming 2026–2027 season will culminate with a regional final held in Hail.
Expansion of the Nissan Tat’ees Championship
The competition is scheduled to start in Jeddah on November 20–21, 2026, before moving to Dammam on December 11–12. Following the Saudi rounds, the tournament will head to the UAE and Qatar for intermediate stages. Competitors will then return to Saudi Arabia in March 2027 for the Hail round and the regional final. Local automotive dealerships representing Nissan in each participating country are supporting the organization of each local event.
Competition Format and Vehicle Categories
Organizers have structured Season 2 to welcome both amateur and professional drivers across multiple divisions. Crucially, the regulations permit entries using Nissan vehicles as well as models from other vehicle manufacturers. The championship also features dedicated competition categories for female drivers alongside general participant classes.
Vehicle classifications cover stock and modified four-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs equipped with four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines. In addition, competitors can enter two-wheel motorcycles and four-wheel quad bikes. Every entrant must navigate dedicated sand courses requiring precise vehicle handling, speed, and technical control in compliance with established safety regulations.
Regulatory Supervision and Local Operations
Rounds taking place within Saudi Arabia operate under the official supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF). Meanwhile, events scheduled in the UAE and Qatar are organized in direct coordination with local regulatory bodies and regional tourism authorities. This administrative alignment ensures that every desert course complies with standard competitive and technical requirements.
Thierry Sabbagh, Divisional Vice President and President for Middle East, KSA, India, and CIS at Nissan and INFINITI, stated:
“Through Tat’ees, we are connecting that heritage with a sport deeply rooted in the region and investing in the talent and communities behind it. The success of our first season in Saudi Arabia has given us a strong foundation to expand into more markets across the Middle East, creating more opportunities for drivers to compete on a regional stage. Our ambition is to build a lasting regional championship, with Saudi Arabia at its heart, and bring Tat’ees to more countries across the region in the years ahead.”
Thierry Sabbagh, Divisional Vice President and President, Middle East, KSA, India, and CIS – Nissan and INFINITI
Origins and Regional Outlook
The inaugural Nissan Tat’ees Championship debuted in October 2025 to create an organized, regulated framework for sand dune driving. That debut season featured three competitive stages, starting at Half Moon Bay in Dammam, moving to Bahrah near Jeddah, and concluding in Hail. Driver Mohammed Al-Ghunaim won the overall title, alongside winners across nine distinct divisions, including the women’s class.
Looking ahead, the Nissan Tat’ees Championship aims to support regional off-road sports while creating structured platforms for emerging driving talent. Local dealerships and organizing partners will release specific participant registration dates and technical guidelines for each stage in the coming weeks, expanding the reach of desert racing across the regional economy.
