Saudi Arabia welcomed 1,707,301 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, marking a 2.04% increase on the 1,673,230 who performed the pilgrimage in 2025, according to official figures from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
The rise reflects steady global demand for Hajj places and the Kingdom’s continued investment in pilgrim services and operational infrastructure.
Of the total, 1,546,655 pilgrims traveled from abroad, while 160,646 are Saudi citizens or residents. Among international pilgrims, the overwhelming majority, 1,485,729, arrived by air, with 54,429 entering through land crossings and 6,497 arriving by sea.
Makkah Route Initiative Sees Strong Growth
The Makkah Route Initiative recorded notable expansion this year, serving 388,694 pilgrims compared with 314,337 in 2025, a jump of 23.7%. The initiative allows pilgrims to complete all immigration, passport, and customs procedures at their home airports, transporting them directly to their accommodation in the Kingdom and sparing them lengthy airport queues on arrival.
The total Hajj workforce grew to 441,049, up from 420,070 last year, reflecting the scale of coordination across security, health, and logistical agencies. However, the number of volunteers fell from 34,540 to 26,701, a decline of 22.7%.
Officials noted that ongoing digitisation of pilgrim services and improved crowd-management systems have strengthened operational efficiency across the board.
GASTAT based its figures on administrative data from the Ministry of Interior, in line with the statistical framework used in recent Hajj seasons to ensure accuracy.
