Qiddiya: The organizers of the FIA Extreme H race, the world's first hydrogen-powered motorsport competition, announced the return of the second edition of the World Cup to Qiddiya City from October 29 to 31, 2026. The hosting of the event, which aligns with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ambitions in motorsport, innovation, and sustainability, underscores the key role played by Qiddiya City in these fields. It also reflects its shared commitment with Extreme H to redefining the future of entertainment and sports with advanced technologies, exceptional experiences, and the promotion of sustainability principles.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company Abdullah Aldawood said: 'The return of the FIA Extreme H World Cup to Qiddiya City for its second edition reflects the city's growing status as a global destination for motorsport and distinctive sporting events. Hosting the inaugural edition represented an important milestone in showcasing Qiddiya City's ability to host innovative sporting events that combine competition, sustainability, and future technologies."
He added: 'Through hosting such events, Qiddiya City continues to strengthen its role as a national and global platform for entertainment, sports, and culture, contributing to the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and enhancing the Kingdom's presence on the international sports events map."
Founder and Chairman of Extreme H Alejandro Agag said: 'The inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup demonstrated our ability to combine motorsport with a future powered by clean energy. This second chapter of the event, in cooperation with Qiddiya City, the FIA, and partners, is about accelerating that vision as we continue to redefine the limits of what's possible, for our pioneering technologies and our boundary-breaking drivers."
The race track forms an integral part of Qiddiya City's broader vision and demonstrates how advanced sustainable technology and world-class racing can deliver an experience that combines excitement and innovation. The second edition is expected to be the most exciting and competitive yet, given the close level of competition among drivers and teams and the use of the high-performance hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Pioneer 25 race cars in some of the most demanding testing environments.
Commenting on the event, President of the FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: 'Hosting the second edition of the FIA Extreme H World Cup represents a new milestone in the development of hydrogen-powered motorsport. The competition provides an advanced global platform for testing hydrogen fuel-cell technologies in a high-performance competitive environment, reflecting the FIA's commitment to advancing innovation and sustainability while establishing the highest safety standards for the future of the sport."
He added: 'The competition format forms a fundamental part of its identity, with male and female drivers competing together for the same titles. This reflects the FIA's ambition to support competitions that explore modern technologies while promoting broader opportunities and greater inclusivity across all aspects of motorsport."
CEO of Saudi Motorsport Company Eng. Mansour Al-Mokbel stated that the return of Extreme H to Qiddiya City reflects the Kingdom's growing role in shaping the future of motorsport globally. He noted that this new phase represents a shared vision between Saudi Motorsport Company and Extreme H to support clean-energy innovation, sustainable mobility, and the next generation of motorsport, with Qiddiya City serving as a key pillar of that vision by providing an integrated environment that combines technology, competition, and fan experiences on a large scale.
He pointed out that by combining Saudi Motorsport Company's local expertise with Extreme H's global platform, the partnership will support the growth of the competition within the Kingdom and create new opportunities for partners, fans, and emerging Saudi talent, as Saudi Motorsport Company continues to lead the development of the motorsport sector in Saudi Arabia.
The previous edition witnessed an exceptionally close finish, with the title decided by a margin of just 0.082 seconds. Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor of Jameel Motorsport won the inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup title and are preparing to return to defend their championship against leading competitors from around the world. The time trial rounds will see teams deliver their strongest performances to secure starting positions before moving into the knockout stage, where teams will compete head-to-head. Competition will then intensify through the World Cup title race, featuring eight cars, where strategy, composure, and speed will determine the champions.
Extreme H's return coincides with an exceptional stage of development in Qiddiya City, as the new city continues to take shape at a rapid pace to become a global destination welcoming visitors from around the world. Six Flags Qiddiya City opened its doors to visitors in December 2025, followed recently by Aquarabia, Saudi Arabia's first water theme park of its kind and the largest in the region. Meanwhile, construction continues on the Speed Park Track, a world-class racing circuit designed to host major motorsport events such as Formula 1 and MotoGP using advanced technologies of global standards.
Full details of the participating teams and drivers will be announced in the coming months as preparations continue for another round of Extreme H off-road racing.