As a consequence of the rapid development of infrastructure in the UAE, the area available for traditional special stage rallying in Dubai has been greatly reduced since the 1980’s and 1990’s.

For this reason, as well as to capitalize on the growing preference and demand for cross country rallying in the region, in early 2016, the ATCUAE (now EMSO) and Dubai Government took the decision to reformat what was previously known as the Dubai International Rally, into an event that caters for cross country cars and motorcycles, and elevate it from a regional to a world level status.

In its former guise, the Dubai International Rally was the oldest motorsport event in the UAE, being staged annually since the late 1970s and organized by the ATCUAE since 1997. Until 2015, the event was staged as a round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, being won by such drivers as Nasser Al Attiyah, Saeed Al Hajri, Khalid Al Qassimi and Bjorn Waldegård. Former EMSO President, now FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem holds the record for most wins, taking 15 victories between 1985 and 2002.

In 2021 the event’s Headquarters and Service Park moved to the DEWA’s Innovation Center which is based in Al Qudra Desert, being the first World Cup for Cross Country Bajas run on solar power.

In 2022 the Dubai International Baja has seen the biggest changes in the event’s history, bringing the world class action close to the public at fabulous Dubai Festival City and with a completely revamped rally route the technicality of the event was risen to levels not seen in the bajas before.