Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 20 Jun 2026, 12:02 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has launched a national Tech Challenge inviting entrepreneurs to build digital solutions for crowd management, the pilgrim experience, and language services across Hajj and Umrah.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense has begun early safety planning for Hajj 2027, focusing on year-round inspections, heat protection at Arafat and emergency readiness ahead of the next pilgrimage.
Saudi Arabia's 1448 AH Umrah season runs from mid-2026 through April 2027, with visa issuance ending March 9, entry until March 23 and a final departure deadline of April 7, 2027.
Bangladesh has released its Hajj 2027 roadmap, setting a September 26, 2026 registration deadline and a detailed timeline running through the expected pilgrimage on May 15, 2027.
Saudi Arabia's Nusuk app now offers offline 'zero-data' access to permits, maps and emergency contacts for the 1448 AH Umrah season, alongside multilingual support and crowd-management alerts.
The Haj Committee of India has advised pilgrims to ready their passports as Hajj 2027 registration is expected to open soon, following Saudi Arabia's release of the Hajj 1448 AH Preparation Document.
Hajj pilgrims brave sweltering Mecca heat with ice cream and giant fans The Times of Israel
VIDEO: Pilgrims begin Hajj in sweltering heat Gulf Today
Muslims begin the annual Hajj against a backdrop of war concerns NPR
Pilgrims kick off 2026 Hajj season Al Arabiya English
Pilgrims kick off 2026 Hajj season Al Arabiya English
More than 1.5m foreign pilgrims begin Hajj despite Iran war fears BBC