Saudi Arabia has not given a fixed in-advance calendar date every year for the start of Ramadan; the official announcement is always tied to crescent‑moon sighting and usually comes the evening before the first fast.

Quick Scoop: What to Expect in 2026

  • The start of Ramadan in Saudi is confirmed by the Supreme Court after people attempt to sight the new crescent moon on the 29th of Shaaban.
  • If the moon is seen that evening, the court announces that the next day is the first of Ramadan; if not, Shaaban is completed as 30 days and Ramadan begins the day after.
  • For 2026, multiple astronomical forecasts and Ramadan planners expect the first day of fasting in Saudi Arabia to fall around mid‑February (commonly pointing to 18 or 19 February 2026), but they all stress that this is only confirmed by the official moon‑sighting decision.

So, “when will Saudi announce Ramadan”?

  • The announcement typically comes:
    • On the evening when the moon is being searched for (29 Shaaban in the Saudi lunar calendar).
* Practically, that means Saudis and many around the world usually hear the official news just a few hours before the start of the first fast.
  • For 2026, news outlets and Islamic calendars are already treating 18–19 February 2026 as the key window when the announcement is expected, depending on visibility and the exact lunar calculation they follow.

In short: you will not get a fully “official” Saudi announcement weeks in advance; you’ll get predicted dates now, and the formal confirmation on the actual moon‑sighting night.

Predicted dates vs. official decision

Here’s how different sources currently frame Ramadan 2026 in Saudi Arabia:

[6][1] [3][5] [7] [8][10]
Source / Type Expected first day of fasting How they phrase it
Ramadan calendar sites 18–19 February 2026 (around mid‑Feb) “Expected to start” / “subject to Supreme Court moon sighting.”
Travel / lifestyle blogs Thursday 19 February 2026 (with some noting 18 or 19) Based on astronomical calculations; final date depends on crescent sighting.
News explainer on 2026 moons Mid‑February; watch 17–18 February for the crescent Explains that Ramadan could be “delayed” depending on visibility, but again: final word is moon‑sighting.
Past official Saudi announcement (2025 example) Announced on the night before, declaring Saturday 1 March 2025 as 1 Ramadan 1446H Shows the pattern: formal statement issued after the moon‑sighting session that same evening.

Forum / trending angle

On forums and social media each year, people usually ask questions like:

“Is Ramadan confirmed yet in Saudi?”
“Did the moon get sighted?”

Typically you’ll see:

  • Early chatter built around astronomical forecasts and unofficial timetables shared weeks or months before; for 2026, these are clustering around mid‑February.
  • Spike in posts on the actual moon‑sighting night, where users share TV screenshots, links to Saudi news outlets, or mosque announcements as soon as the Supreme Court decision is aired.
  • Cross‑checks with nearby countries (e.g., UAE confirming 19 February 2026 as the first day of Ramadan), which then fuel more discussion about whether Saudi will match that date or differ by a day based on their observation.

What you can reliably say right now

  • You can safely say: “Ramadan 2026 in Saudi Arabia is expected to start in mid‑February (likely 18 or 19 February), but the official announcement will come on the actual moon‑sighting night from the Saudi Supreme Court.”
  • If you are planning travel, work schedules, or ibadah, you can follow the predicted calendars for preparation, then confirm the exact start via:
    • Saudi state media and major Saudi news sites on the 29th of Shaaban.
* Local mosques or Islamic authorities in your country, who often relay the Saudi decision within minutes or hours.

TL;DR:
Saudi will “announce Ramadan” only after the crescent is checked on the 29th of Shaaban, which in 2026 falls around mid‑February, with most forecasts pointing to a first fast on 18 or 19 February 2026—but the exact announcement date and wording will only be known on that moon‑sighting evening.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.