Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 9 May 2026, 2:34 AM (Saudi time)
The Nusuk card is a mandatory smart ID for all Hajj 2026 pilgrims, required for access to holy sites, transport, medical services, and accommodation. Available in physical and digital formats via the Nusuk app.
Saudi Arabia has deployed portable passport processing devices at all entry ports for Hajj 2026, allowing officers to process pilgrims at their location rather than requiring them to queue at fixed desks.
Saudi Arabia has activated 3.1 million airline seats, 12,000 flights, and 5,308 Haramain rail trips for Hajj 2026, alongside 25,000 buses and 200,000 transport personnel.
Hajj 2026 falls in late May rather than summer for the first time in 16 years, bringing cooler conditions after the 2024 heat crisis that killed over 1,300 pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia is enforcing fines of up to 100,000 SAR and 10-year entry bans for Hajj 2026 permit violations, with heavier penalties targeting those who facilitate illegal pilgrimages.
Saudi Arabia is deploying smart sensors linked to Nusuk cards in Mina for the first time during Hajj 2026, using real-time data to manage crowd flows and prevent dangerous bottlenecks.
Standing where Prophet Muhammad gave his final sermon, 2 million Muslims perform Hajj NPR
Why do Muslims make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca? Sahan Journal
2 million begin Hajj as pilgrimage returns to full capacity for first time since pandemic PBS
What is it like living in Mecca? For residents, Islam’s holiest sites are simply home AP News
Journey to Mecca: Scenes from the Haj pilgrimage Reuters
‘Largest Hajj pilgrimage in history’ begins in Saudi Arabia Al Jazeera