Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics has announced that a total of 1,707,301 pilgrims performed the 2026 Hajj exercise.

The figure, released at the end of the 1447 AH pilgrimage season, showed an increase compared to last year’s total of 1,673,230 pilgrims.

According to the authority, the official count covers all male and female pilgrims who participated in this year’s Hajj rites in Makkah and other holy sites.

Millions of Muslims from across the world gathered in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage, which included prayers and rituals at Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina.

Saudi authorities had deployed extensive security, health and logistics arrangements to manage the movement and welfare of pilgrims during the exercise.

The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for every Muslim who is financially and physically capable of undertaking it at least once in a lifetime. (Daily Trust)