Hajj 2026: Pilgrim Numbers Rise as 1.7 Millions Arrive in Mecca

The Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry has announced that over 17 lakh pilgrims came for this year's Hajj. This is a 2.04% jump from last year. The number of people using the Makkah Route Initiative also saw a big increase.

Riyadh: More than 17 lakh pilgrims from all over the world took part in this year's Hajj, the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry has confirmed. The ministry reported a 2.04% increase in the number of pilgrims compared to last year.

This year, the total count was 1,707,301, up from 1,673,230 in 2025. That's an increase of 34,071 pilgrims. According to official figures, 1,546,655 pilgrims came from abroad, while 160,646 were from within Saudi Arabia, including both citizens and foreign residents (Iqama holders).

Makkah Route

The ‘Makkah Route Initiative’, which helps make the travel process smoother for pilgrims, was used by 388,694 people this year. This is a massive 23.7% jump compared to last year. Officials are calling this year a success, thanks to more efficient services and better facilities at entry points.

The ministry said that the country's focus on pilgrim safety and robust preparations are behind this success, even amid changing situations locally and globally. They also pointed out that things ran smoothly thanks to digitalisation, new crowd-control systems, and strong coordination among security, health, and logistics teams. To ensure the event was completely safe and flawless, a total of 441,049 volunteers from various security departments were deployed this year, the ministry added in a press release.