Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 18 Jun 2026, 12:05 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has made staff training a prerequisite for Hajj visas and permits in 2027, alongside a mandatory integrated service model and a defined contracting timetable for providers.
Saudi and national health authorities have restated that the quadrivalent meningitis vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine are mandatory for Hajj 1448 AH pilgrims, alongside medical fitness declarations.
The Prophet's Mosque Library in Madinah has opened to post-Hajj pilgrims, offering access to around 4,000 original manuscripts, 250 rare handwritten Qur'ans and extensive digitized collections.
The Al Madinah Region Development Authority has equipped over 19,000 square meters of pedestrian walkways and launched a bilingual spatial guidance system to improve mobility for pilgrims around the Prophet's Mosque.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah suspended 21 Umrah service companies on June 13, 2026, citing poor performance and regulatory violations as it tightens standards across the sector.
Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs will open mandatory Hajj 2027 registration later in June 2026, requiring all applicants to hold passports valid until November 16, 2027.
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
More than 1.5m Muslim pilgrims begin hajj as Iran peace deal hangs in the balance Euronews.com