The last Formula 1 race on the continent was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
On October 13, 2026, the FIA and Formula 1 announced a 10-year agreement with Rwanda to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda. The race is planned for 2030, subject to completion of a new circuit. The FIA has described the return as coming in the early part of the next decade.
The proposed track would sit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometres south of Kigali and alongside the new Kigali International Airport. The purpose-built venue is intended to meet FIA Grade 1 standards, the top circuit licence required for Formula 1. Formula 1 and ESPN have described a design shaped by the area's natural contours and elevation changes.
The Rwanda Development Board is leading a wider project tied to tourism and infrastructure. It also includes commercial development.
Organisers plan to use the circuit throughout the year, rather than only for the annual Grand Prix. Plans include motorsport championships and conferences, along with other events and leisure activities.
The track has not been built. Its completion and FIA Grade 1 licensing are conditions for the first race, while the 10-year agreement sets out a long-term hosting arrangement. Motorsport.com has reported preliminary design figures of about 6 kilometres and 17 turns. The same report puts the elevation change at up to 197 metres per lap and links the design work to former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz. Those figures remain proposed specifications.
FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem called the return a significant moment for the sport. He said Rwanda had shown a clear commitment to staging an international event and that the FIA would work with Formula 1 and its partners to develop the circuit to international standards.
Ben Sulayem said the agreement is also intended to inspire young people. He said it would help develop talent and create opportunities for motorsport across Africa.
He pointed to Formula 1's expansion in the Middle East since Bahrain hosted the region's first race in 2004. Abu Dhabi later joined the calendar, followed by races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Separately, earlier reporting covered UAE official Ali Al Hammadi's recognition by the International Fencing Federation.
The first race remains contingent on completion of the Bugesera circuit and its FIA Grade 1 licence.
