المملكة: The launch of the Custodian of the Two Holy Camel Festival in its third edition in Riyadh, January 23

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him -, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Camel Festival will launch in its third edition, on Friday, January 23, 2026 AD, on The land of the historic Janadriya Squarein the city of Riyadh, with financial prizes exceeding (75) million riyals.

On this occasion, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, expressed great gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – may God protect him – for his generous patronage of this sports forum, and his constant interest in developing the sports sector in the Kingdom.

His Highness said: "Camel racing represents an essential element of the Kingdom’s deep cultural and historical heritage, and embodies the authenticity of the established national identity. This heritage sport received great care and support from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – may God support him -; Believing in the importance of preserving this Authentic heritageand its development"

His Highness added " The high interest was not limited to the local level only, but it played a pivotal role in pushing this sport towards broader horizons, transcending local and regional borders to reach the global level, as this event has become global by attracting many participants from different countries of the world, which is directly consistent with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision (2030) in enhancing the Kingdom’s international position as a global sports destination.".

His Highness the Minister of Sports explained that the royal patronage contributed to achieving a qualitative shift in the organization of these races, through developing the infrastructure of the field, applying the latest organizational technologies, and allocating major prizes that made the festival a global attraction platform, noting that thanks to this continuous support, camel racing has transformed from a traditional activity into a prominent sporting, economic and cultural event.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Camel Festival receives great attention, as it is one of the largest and most prominent championships in camel racing, with what it includes. Strong competitions and a large and prominent presence of fans of this ancient sport, which reflects its prestigious position in camel racing championships at all levels, local, regional and international.

It is noteworthy that the first edition of the festival was held in (2024), and witnessed the participation of more than (2000) camel owners with (6869) mounts, and attracted participants from (13) countries, while the second edition of the festival in (2025) witnessed Growth in numbers, the number of owners increased to (2112) owners, the number of mounts to (7300), and the number of participating countries increased to (16) countries, which confirms the growing global interest in the event.