Rwandan President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame hosted a dinner for senior officials, including FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Formula One President Stefano Domenicali, following the announcement that Rwanda will host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix from 2030.
A statement published on the Presidency’s official X account, Village Urugwiro, on October 13, 2026, said the dinner took place after Rwanda was confirmed as the host country for the race.
“Following the announcement that Rwanda will host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame hosted a dinner for FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, F1 President Stefano Domenicali, private-sector leaders from across the continent and partners from the motorsport community,” the statement said.
The African Grand Prix is expected to become the 24th race on the Formula One calendar, which currently features 23 Grands Prix held across different parts of the world. The Rwandan race would be the only Formula One event on the African continent.
A dedicated circuit for the competition is planned for Bugesera District, near the new Kigali International Airport, where construction is expected to begin.
Rwanda was officially confirmed as the host country on October 13, 2026, following the signing of a long-term agreement aimed at bringing the Formula One World Championship back to Africa. The championship is organised in collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the sport’s global governing body.
Under the agreement, Rwanda’s first Formula One race will take place after the construction of a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera. The facility is expected to be completed in early 2030.
The circuit will be designed to meet the FIA’s Grade 1 requirements, the highest circuit certification standard needed to host Formula One races.
Rwanda was among several African countries that expressed interest in hosting the Grand Prix, alongside South Africa. In recent years, the country has invested in attracting major sporting events and has hosted competitions including the UCI Road World Championships, the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and other international tournaments.
Rwanda has also hosted the FIFA Congress in 2023, followed by the FIA General Assembly and the FIA Awards ceremony in 2024.
The Formula 1 African Grand Prix, which will be supported by the Visit Rwanda brand, is being presented as another step in Rwanda’s ambition to establish itself as an international destination for sports, tourism, innovation and business.
However, detailed information about the date of the inaugural race, the circuit’s construction phases and the schedule of activities planned for race weekends has not yet been announced.
SOURCE: IGIHE