Formula 1 has signed a 10-year agreement with Rwanda to stage the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, ending an absence from the continent that dates back to 1993. The race is expected to join the calendar in the early 2030s, once a new purpose-built circuit is complete.
The track will be built in Bugesera, about 40km south of Kigali and next to the country’s new international airport. It will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standard as part of a wider sports, tourism and commercial project led by the Rwanda Development Board, and is planned as a year-round venue for motorsport, conferences and entertainment. The designer is former F1 driver Alexander Wurz, who is also designing the new Qiddiya circuit in Saudi Arabia.
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said the deal means the championship will race on every inhabited continent, citing more than 100 million fans in Africa. F1 says almost 60% of fans in key sub-Saharan markets are under 35. President Paul Kagame described the agreement as a long-term investment in jobs, skills and tourism rather than a single race weekend, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the governing body would work with F1 as the circuit is built.
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Contract length | 10 years |
| Last African Grand Prix | Kyalami, 1993 |
| F1 fans in Africa | 100 million+ |
| F1 revenue, 2025 | $3.87bn (R63.9bn) |
| F1 race promotion fees, 2025 | $1.03bn (R17bn) |
| Lowest reported hosting fee (Monaco, 2023) | $20m (R330m) |
| Rwanda tourism revenue, 2025 | $685m (R11.3bn) |
The commercial case for F1 is visible in its accounts. Revenue rose 14% to $3.87bn (R63.9bn) in 2025, the fifth consecutive year of growth, with race promotion fees contributing $1.03bn (R17bn). The lowest hosting fee reported for 2023 was Monaco’s $20m (R330m), with Italy and Belgium paying $25m (R412.5m). Rwanda has not disclosed its fee.
For Kigali, the race extends a strategy of using global events to drive tourism. Tourism earned $685m (R11.3bn) in 2025, up from $647m (R10.7bn), from 1.49 million visitors. Revenue from meetings, conferences and exhibitions grew 11.8% to $94.7m (R1.56bn). The government targets $224m (R3.7bn) from that segment by 2028. Rwanda also extended its Visit Rwanda sponsorship of Paris Saint-Germain to 2028 and signed with Atlético de Madrid.
The circuit is tied to the country’s largest infrastructure project. Qatar Airways owns 60% of the Bugesera airport, with Rwanda holding 40%. The project was valued at $1.3bn (R21.5bn) when Qatar joined in 2019, with first-phase capacity of seven million passengers. By 2023 the expected cost had risen to $2bn (R33bn).
The decision is a setback for South Africa. Sports minister Gayton McKenzie launched a bid centred on Kyalami in December 2024. In February 2026 he conceded the government had underestimated what hosting requires, while Kyalami’s Grade 1 upgrades were estimated at $5m to $10m (R82.5m to R165m). An earlier attempt to revive the Kyalami race collapsed over problems with the local promoter.
Rights groups have accused Rwanda of using sport to improve its image while silencing critics, a charge the government denies. F1 said the inaugural race date and construction milestones would be announced later.