Over 1.7 Million Pilgrims Perform Hajj 2026, Up 2.04% From Last Year

More than 1.7 million pilgrims successfully completed Hajj 2026, with the vast majority travelling from outside Saudi Arabia, according to official figures released by the Kingdom’s authorities.

The total number of pilgrims reached 1,707,301, representing an increase of 34,071 pilgrims or 2.04 percent compared to the 1,673,230 who performed Hajj the previous year. Saudi officials attributed the growth to sustained global demand for the pilgrimage, ongoing improvements in operational efficiency, expanded facilities at entry points, and enhanced coordination across security, health, and logistical agencies. The increase also reflects the Kingdom’s broader push toward digitalisation of pilgrimage services and the deployment of advanced crowd-management systems.

According to data from the General Authority for Statistics, 1,546,655 pilgrims arrived from outside the Kingdom, while 160,646 were Saudi citizens or residents. Among the international pilgrims, the overwhelming majority — 1,485,729 — arrived by air, while 54,429 entered through land crossings and 6,497 came by sea.

One of the standout figures from this year’s Hajj season was the significant growth in the Makkah Route Initiative, a program that enables pilgrims to complete immigration, passport control, and customs procedures at their home country’s point of departure before travelling to Saudi Arabia. The number of pilgrims benefiting from this initiative rose sharply to 388,694, up from 314,337 the previous year — an increase of approximately 23.7 percent — underscoring the program’s growing popularity and operational effectiveness.

The total workforce supporting Hajj operations also expanded, rising to 441,049 personnel from 420,070 the previous year. However, the number of volunteers saw a notable decline, falling to 26,701 from 34,540 — a decrease of 22.7 percent.

The General Authority for Statistics confirmed that all figures were compiled using administrative data provided by the Ministry of Interior under a statistical framework adopted in recent Hajj seasons to ensure the highest levels of accuracy and reliability.