WRC
Stage Guide: WRC Rally Sweden 2026
Rally Sweden’s 2026 route blends flat-out forest roads with technical, bumpy tests and the spectacle of Umeå’s Red Barn Arena.
01
SS1/18 Umeå
Umeå serves as both the opening and closing stage of the event – the first time this has happened in the WRC since Rallye Monte-Carlo's Col de Turini in 2023. It features a mix of narrow, high-speed forest roads before the route enters the spectator-friendly Red Barn Arena, home to big jumps and long, sweeping corners. A small route change has been introduced this year ahead of the arena section.
02
SS2/5 Bygdsiljum
The stage begins on a new road which is wide and fast. At 3.40km the route passes a farm before joining a narrower road via a junction. A flat-out section follows, with long straights and high-speed corners, before the stage joins the 2025 test route at 6.70km. Several crests feature between 9.8km and 13.4km. The character changes again after 17.15km with two junctions leading onto a narrower, bumpier road. A hairpin at 21.4km precedes a wider, almost flat-out section to 25.4km, before a narrow, technical and very bumpy run to the finish.
03
SS3/6 Andersvattnet
Fast from the outset, Andersvattnet offers few major braking zones early on. Approaching Storberget at 3.5km, the road briefly becomes more technical and narrow. A long flat-out section then follows for around three kilometres, before the stage narrows and becomes bumpier with more technical elements. Despite this, speeds remain high, with the final section running on a slightly faster road featuring long, flowing corners.
04
SS4/7 Bäck
The opening 4km are narrow and technical, with frequent dips and bumps in the surface. The stage then changes character dramatically with a 3km straight, interrupted by a chicane through a field at 5.3km. From there, the road settles into a medium-speed, medium-width section to the finish.
05
SS8/15 Umeå Sprint
The start is new for this year and begins with a flat-out blast of around one kilometre. From there, the route joins the Umeå stage, combining fast straights and junctions before entering the Red Barn Arena.
06
SS9/12 Vännäs
Vännäs opens on a medium-wide, fast road before deviating at 4km for a short ‘Mickey Mouse’ section featuring a long right-hander. The stage briefly rejoins the original road via a junction, followed by a hairpin onto a narrower, medium-speed section. A completely flat-out run follows, before the stage joins a narrow but very fast and bumpy road from 7.33km to 11.72km. The closing kilometres are narrower, bumpier and more technical, with several crests and dips.
07
SS10/13 Sarsjöliden
Sarsjöliden has been slightly extended from the start compared to 2025. It was the scene of trouble last year, with Adrien Fourmaux stuck in a snowbank and Takamoto Katsuta running wide while chasing the lead in 2024. The opening kilometres are dominated by flat-out sections, big straights and fast corners. After a short narrow and bumpy section, the stage becomes fast and wide again, with long straights and junctions to the finish.
08
SS11/14 Kolksele
Run in reverse compared to 2025, Kolksele starts inside the Vännäs Motocross track with long, slow-speed corners. After exiting the circuit, the stage becomes flat-out on a wide road. The route then deviates from this road on three occasions between 6km and 9km, before a high-speed run of around four kilometres. The final section is on a medium-wide road which begins technically but becomes faster towards the finish.
09
SS16/17 Västervik
The opening section runs on a narrow, bumpy and technical road which remains relatively fast. At 8.78km the stage joins a wider road that continues to be technical, featuring long, flowing corners. Following a junction, the route switches to a wide, flat-out road, before a more technical finale with consecutive medium to slow-speed corners.
Stage descriptions provided in collaboration with Powerslide Blog.
