1.70 million pilgrims performed the 2026 Hajj – Saudi authority

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) says a total of 1.70 million pilgrims performed the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, up from the figures recorded in 2025.

GASTAT is the Saudi government agency responsible for compiling the annual Hajj census.

The official statistics, released for the 2026 Hajj season, cover both male and female pilgrims who participated in the annual pilgrimage through Mecca al-Mukarramah and other holy sites.

According to the data, 1.54 million pilgrims come from outside the Kingdom, while 160,646 are Saudi citizens and residents.

A breakdown of international arrivals showed that 1.48 million pilgrims entered Saudi Arabia by air, 54,429 arrived via land borders, while 6,497 pilgrims arrived by sea.

The agency said the figures represent the official verified count for the 2026 pilgrimage season.

“The newly published statistics indicate a recovery in pilgrim turnout compared to 2025, when the total number of pilgrims was 1.67 million.

“The latest figure represents an increase of approximately 34,000 pilgrims each year.

“However, the 2026 turnout remains lower than the 1.83 million pilgrims recorded during the 2024 Hajj season,” it said.

Meanwhile, annual statistics published by the authority showed a decline in the number of pilgrims between 2024 and 2025 before this partial recovery.

The annual pilgrimage remains one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, drawing Muslims from around the world to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for prescribed spiritual rites.