Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 23 Sep 2026, 10:20 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has released the Hajj 2027 calendar, with visas opening January 28, flights starting April 8, and the pilgrimage expected on May 15, 2027, alongside a series of Masar Nusuk contracting deadlines in 2026.
Pakistan has opened free, mandatory registration for Hajj 2027 and confirmed talks with Saudi Arabia to raise its pilgrim quota from 179,210 to about 230,000 places.
Knight Frank reports that Makkah and Madinah hotel demand stayed strong in early 2026, with Makkah room rates averaging $209 and more than 218,000 rooms and residences planned across the holy cities.
Saudi Arabia's Hajj 2027 roadmap gives Nigeria a tight timetable, with pilgrim registration expected to close around September 26, 2026 and visa issuance beginning in January 2027.
More than 80,000 Pakistanis registered for Hajj 2027 in the first three days of the government's drive, which opened June 22 and runs on a fully digital, paperless system.
Saudi Arabia will require Hajj affairs office staff to complete mandatory training before receiving visas and permits for the 2027 season, part of a broader service overhaul.
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