Riyadh, – The global scientific and academic community will turn its attention to Riyadh on Wednesday, January 7, when the laureates of the 48th King Faisal Prize for 2026 are announced across its five categories during an official ceremony organized by the General Secretariat of King Faisal Prize in Riyadh.
The General Secretariat received a wide range of nominations from elite universities, academic institutions, and research centers worldwide during the nomination period, which ran from September 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. All nominations were subjected to rigorous scientific evaluation in accordance with the prize’s established standards, under the supervision of specialized committees comprising prominent international scholars and experts.
The prize’s committees have decided the topics for this year’s four categories as follows:
* King Faisal Prize in Islamic Studies: Trade Routes in the Islamic World
* King Faisal Prize in Arabic Language and Literature: Arabic Literature in French
* King Faisal Prize in Medicine: Discoveries Transforming Obesity Therapeutics
* King Faisal Prize in Science: Mathematics.
King Faisal Prize in Service to Islam is a standalone honorary Prize granted to individuals and/or institutions that have demonstrated a pioneering and influential role in serving Islam and Muslims on intellectual, scientific, or social levels through initiatives and projects with a clear and lasting impact on Muslim Community.
The prize consists of a certificate inscribed in Arabic calligraphy featuring the laureate’s name with a brief description of the work for which the Prizes awarded, a commemorative 24-karat, 200-gram gold medallion, and a sum of 750,000 Saudi riyals (200,000 US dollars) for each category.
King Faisal Prize was first awarded in 1979, and it is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious international awards in the fields of science, humanities, and intellectual thought. The prize was awarded to 301 scholars from 47 countries, with several earning additional global recognition for their scientific and humanitarian contributions.
Since its establishment, King Faisal Prize has continued to play a vital role in advancing scientific research, honoring distinguished scholars and thinkers, fostering intercultural dialogue, and contributing to the enrichment of human knowledge worldwide.
