King Faisal Prize To Announce 2026 Laureates In Riyadh After Preparations

The King Faisal Prize is set to reveal the laureates for its 2026 cycle on 7 January in Riyadh. Prince Turki Al-Faisal will present the names during a ceremony at Prince Sultan Grand Hall in Al-Faisaliah Center, covering all five prize categories.

Specialised committees are already reviewing nominations at the prize’s headquarters and will continue their work until 7 January. These panels are assessing submitted research and contributions to decide the winners in Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, Science, and the Service to Islam prize.

The General Secretariat earlier confirmed the themes for the 48th session of the King Faisal Prize for 2026. Each academic category focuses on a specific field to guide nominations and evaluations across Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science.

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Alongside these four academic fields, the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam is awarded as an honorary distinction. It recognises individuals whose intellectual, scientific, or social efforts have played a leading role in serving Islam and Muslims, with activities that demonstrate clear and measurable benefits for communities.

The selection committees this year include scholars, specialists, and experts drawn from several countries. These members meet in Riyadh to examine nominated works in detail. Their discussions aim to ensure that the final choices are based on objective standards and transparent procedures across every prize category.

The General Secretariat has stated that nominations must come from recognised scientific bodies. Eligible entities include universities, research institutes, scientific organisations, and language academies. Nominations cannot be submitted by individuals acting alone, and nominees must be alive at the time of nomination.

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According to the General Secretariat, every nominated work must already be published. The submission should offer solid information and support the expansion of knowledge. It must also contribute to human development, whether through scientific progress, cultural understanding, or practical applications that address real needs.

King Faisal Prize announcement event and timetable

Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz will chair the meeting of the committee responsible for choosing the Service to Islam laureate. After all committee sessions end, Prince Turki Al-Faisal will announce the 2026 laureates for the five categories on Wednesday, 7 January, in Riyadh.

The King Faisal Prize ceremony and related meetings form part of an annual programme that highlights scholarly and humanitarian work across the Islamic world and beyond. The Saudi Press Agency reported the schedule with local time at 14:17 and Greenwich Mean Time at 11:17, under reference number 0021.

With inputs from SPA