Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026: SAR 50M in Taif

The Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026 will take place at the historic Taif Camel Racing Track from 21 Rabi Al-Awwal to 2 Rabi Al-Thani 1448 AH (3–13 September 2026), with more than SAR 50 million in prize money distributed across 248 races over 11 days.

The 2026 edition spreads its prizes across several categories. The “Haqayeq” category features SAR 13,300,000 over 92 races of 2 km each across three days, while the “Al-Laqaya” category offers SAR 10,850,000 over 64 races of 4 km each, also across three days. The Al-Laqaya Crown Cups carry SAR 5,700,000 over six cup rounds, and the first Crown Cups evening session has a prize pool of SAR 6,100,000, with SAR 90,000 000 for first place in some key races.

New this year is a points-based competition awarding SAR 500,000 to the participant with the highest cumulative points across festival races. A newly launched Saudis-only Cup for the 2026–27 season also offers SAR 500,000 and begins at the track on 3 September 2026. The edition further introduces Mazayen (camel beauty) competitions, an 11 km training track added to Taif Camel Square, and a complete rehabilitation of racing surfaces to raise capacity and safety standards.

Why it matters

Organized and regulated by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, the festival schedules races across the Haqayeq, Laqaya, Jadh'a, Thanaya, Heel, Zamoul, and Camel Riders categories. Beyond the sport, it drives real economic activity in Taif: multi-million-value camel sales, strong demand for camel equipment, feed, and veterinary pharmacy services, and increased retail activity from visitors and participants. Organizers say the event supports more than 1,000 jobs across related sectors, reflecting the growing role of camel sports in the local economy.

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