Saudi National Day 96 falls on Wednesday 23 September 2026, and it is an official public holiday. This year the day itself has a headline act: Gulf Cup 27 kicks off in Jeddah on 23 September with Saudi Arabia against Kuwait. The National Day 96 programme is bookable now: ten National Day events across Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Taif sit on webook.com’s dedicated Saudi National Day events page, which also carries a National Day 96 scratch-ticket game. Add Qiddiya’s two parks on 4:00 pm to midnight holiday hours, with Aquarabia children’s tickets from SAR 200, and the week plans itself.
When is Saudi National Day 2026?
Wednesday 23 September 2026. The date is fixed every year, and National Day 96 lands midweek this time, so expect the celebration to stretch across two weekends: the one before (18-19 September) and the one after (25-26 September). Government offices, schools and most private employers observe the holiday on the day itself.
What is the National Day 96 slogan?
The official identity is Ezzona Btab’na, roughly Our Pride Is Our Nature. The General Entertainment Authority launched it on 27 July 2026, announced through the Saudi Press Agency, and the GEA’s National Day page now carries the identity, a downloadable events brochure. The full concert programme had not been published there as of 20 September; in previous years it appeared only days before the 23rd.
Why 23 September? The story behind the date
On 23 September 1932, a royal decree unified the regions of Najd and Hijaz into a single state under one name: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That proclamation, not a battle or an independence treaty, is what the day commemorates. It is why the celebration reads as a birthday rather than a liberation anniversary, and why the green flag is suddenly on everything from car bonnets to skyscrapers.
Who was King Abdulaziz?
King Abdulaziz Al Saud recaptured Riyadh in 1902 at the head of a small force, then spent three decades bringing the peninsula’s regions together before proclaiming the unified Kingdom in 1932. Commercial oil production followed in the late 1930s and transformed the new state’s fortunes within a generation. Every Saudi king since has been one of his sons or grandsons.
What actually happens on National Day 96?
TThe GEA’s big-city concerts set the tone for the evening, as streets fill with green-dressed families, car parades, and free public shows. The GEA’s official city-by-city programme is published close to the day, but the ticketed slate is no longer a waiting game (see the next section). For day-of drops, the events happening today page on webook.com is the fastest way to see what is on and ticketed on the 23rd itself.
This year adds a football opener of real weight. Gulf Cup 27 begins in Jeddah on National Day itself and runs to 6 October, with Saudi Arabia facing Kuwait at King Abdullah Sports City after a short opening ceremony, and Iraq playing Oman at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium from 5:30 pm the same day. Group-stage tickets start from SAR 22 and the opener from SAR 45, sold through the Gulf federation’s own ticket site and app rather than webook.com, per the Saudi Press Agency. If you are in Jeddah on the 23rd, the city will be double-celebrating.
Which National Day 96 events are bookable on webook.com?
More than most people expect. As of 20 September, the Saudi National Day events page on webook.com lists ten National Day events across Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Taif, plus a rack of National Day experiences, and the slate is growing as the holiday approaches. Each listing shows its current price in your local currency, so prices are left to the listings here.
The pick of the slate for families: Al Qadsiah’s Saudi National Day celebration at the club’s headquarters in Al Khobar, on 23 and 24 September from 4:00 pm to midnight. The club is staging it as Emtidad Al Izz, three themed gates covering past, present and future: a heritage house and artisan market, folk performances and family competitions, and interactive zones built around what is coming next for the Kingdom, from the 2027 Asian Cup to Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup. On the evening of the 23rd the celebration closes with a screening of the Saudi-Kuwait Gulf Cup opener.
The concerts cluster after the day itself, which is worth knowing: the 23rd belongs to the Gulf Cup opener, and the ticketed music takes over from the 24th. In Riyadh, Saudi Nationality warms things up on 22 September, then the National Night 96 concert and Jalsat The Warehouse land on the 24th, with Ayed at Vocally, Orchestra Choralla and Jalsat Taq following on the 25th. In Jeddah, Moudhi Alshamrani and Khadeejah Mouadh share a National Day stage on the 24th.
Beyond the concerts: the Saudi National Day Cup brings race day to Taif on 26 September, Jeddah gets a 5×5 Night, and the experiences shelf runs from Nofa Wildlife Park’s National Day safaris, brunch and dinner outside Riyadh to craft workshops and a National Day dinner buffet in Jeddah. All of it sits on the National Day page below.
Where can you find every National Day 96 event in one place?
On the new Saudi National Day events page on webook.com, launched for National Day 96. It gathers the National Day-themed events in one place as listings go live, and in previous years most of the programme dropped in the final days before the holiday, so it is the page to bookmark and re-check between now and the 23rd. Everything named above lives there, alongside the experiences shelf and whatever drops next.
One planning note: the page is for the National Day-themed programme specifically. Plenty of what runs around the holiday carries no flag at all, from Qiddiya’s parks to the week’s regular concerts, shows and experiences, so pair the page with the explore page and the day-of listings to build the full plan.
How does the National Day 96 game work?
The same page carries a National Day 96 game built around the number of the year. Choose the city you are celebrating in, take part, and the game deals you a randomly generated scratch-ticket number. Most numbers are just numbers. Three are not: ticket number 96 takes the third-place award, 9600 takes the second, and 96000 takes the first.
Taking part costs nothing beyond a few taps, and the awards and rules are published on the page itself, so read them there before you play. Between the game and the filling events grid, the page is designed to be opened more than once during National Day week rather than skimmed and forgotten.
What can you book now for National Day week?
The safest bets are the permanent heavyweights, and both run on holiday-friendly hours. Six Flags Qiddiya City is open 4:00 pm to midnight with adult tickets from USD 85 and children from USD 70, under-4s free. Aquarabia, Qiddiya’s giant water park, runs the same hours at SAR 325 for adults and SAR 200 for children aged 4 to 11.
Two booking rules are worth money and planning. First, Aquarabia takes 15 percent off when you book five or more days ahead, which brings tickets to about SAR 275 and SAR 170. The advance window for the 23rd itself has now closed, but booking today still covers the post-holiday weekend of 25-26 September onwards. Second, Fridays at Aquarabia are reserved for women and children, so a mixed group should plan its water park day for Saturday to Thursday. The full comparison lives in our Qiddiya parks guide.
Football fans staying home from Jeddah still have a league to plan around: the Roshn Saudi League season runs to May, and fixtures and tickets for every club sit on the Roshn Saudi League hub.
Traveling inside the Kingdom for the holiday?
A midweek National Day makes a short domestic hop realistic: fly out on the 22nd, celebrate on the 23rd, come back on the weekend. Compare routes on flights and pick a stay near the action on hotels, both searchable in one place on webook.com. Riyadh and Jeddah will carry the biggest programmes; Al Khobar has the Al Qadsiah celebration.
And if you want the next big thing on the calendar after the holiday: Riyadh Racing Season opens on 16 October. Our Riyadh Racing Season guide has the dates and how ticketing works.
Get tickets on webook.com: start from the Saudi National Day events page for the holiday line-up, browse everything else on the explore page, and book before the holiday crowds do.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Saudi National Day 2026?
Saudi National Day 96 falls on Wednesday 23 September 2026 and is an official public holiday across the Kingdom. It marks the 1932 proclamation that unified the country as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under King Abdulaziz. Celebrations run through the surrounding week, with the biggest programmes landing on the day itself.
How do you play the National Day 96 game on webook.com?
Open the Saudi National Day events page on webook.com, choose your city and take part. The game generates a random scratch-ticket number: ticket 96 wins the third-place award, 9600 the second and 96000 the first, echoing the Kingdom’s 96th National Day. Playing is free, and the awards and rules are published on the page.
Are National Day 96 event tickets on sale yet?
Yes. As of 20 September the Saudi National Day events page on webook.com lists ten National Day events across Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Taif, from Al Qadsiah’s two-day celebration to National Night 96 and a slate of concerts on 24-25 September, plus National Day experiences. The GEA’s official citywide programme was still unpublished, so more may land late.
Is there a football match on National Day 2026?
Yes, a big one. Gulf Cup 27 opens in Jeddah on 23 September with Saudi Arabia against Kuwait at King Abdullah Sports City, after a short opening ceremony. Iraq play Oman at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium the same day. Tournament tickets are sold through the Gulf federation’s official channels, not webook.com.
How much does a Qiddiya park day cost around the holiday?
Aquarabia is SAR 325 for adults and SAR 200 for children aged 4 to 11, with under-4s free. Six Flags Qiddiya City runs from USD 70 for children and USD 85 for adults. Booking five or more days ahead cuts Aquarabia to about SAR 275 and SAR 170, so book early for the post-holiday weekend.
What time do Six Flags Qiddiya and Aquarabia open during National Day week?
Both parks run 4:00 pm to midnight, which suits the holiday rhythm: the heat drops, the lights come on and the parks fill up after sunset. One planning rule matters for groups: Fridays at Aquarabia are reserved for women and children, so put a mixed group’s water park day on any other day.
FAQ pairs:
Q: When is Saudi National Day 2026?
A: Saudi National Day 96 falls on Wednesday 23 September 2026 and is an official public holiday across the Kingdom. It marks the 1932 proclamation that unified the country as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under King Abdulaziz. Celebrations run through the surrounding week, with the biggest programmes landing on the day itself.
Q: How do you play the National Day 96 game on webook.com?
A: Open the Saudi National Day events page on webook.com, choose your city and take part. The game generates a random scratch-ticket number: ticket 96 wins the third-place award, 9600 the second and 96000 the first, echoing the Kingdom’s 96th National Day. Playing is free, and the awards and rules are published on the page.
Q: Are National Day 96 event tickets on sale yet?
A: Yes. As of 20 September the Saudi National Day events page on webook.com lists ten National Day events across Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Taif, from Al Qadsiah’s two-day celebration to National Night 96 and a slate of concerts on 24-25 September, plus National Day experiences. The GEA’s official citywide programme was still unpublished, so more may land late.
Q: Is there a football match on National Day 2026?
A: Yes, a big one. Gulf Cup 27 opens in Jeddah on 23 September with Saudi Arabia against Kuwait at King Abdullah Sports City, after a short opening ceremony. Iraq play Oman at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium the same day. Tournament tickets are sold through the Gulf federation’s official channels, not webook.com.
Q: How much does a Qiddiya park day cost around the holiday?
A: Aquarabia is SAR 325 for adults and SAR 200 for children aged 4 to 11, with under-4s free. Six Flags Qiddiya City runs from USD 70 for children and USD 85 for adults. Booking five or more days ahead cuts Aquarabia to about SAR 275 and SAR 170, so book early for the post-holiday weekend.
Q: What time do Six Flags Qiddiya and Aquarabia open during National Day week?
A: Both parks run 4:00 pm to midnight, which suits the holiday rhythm: the heat drops, the lights come on and the parks fill up after sunset. One planning rule matters for groups: Fridays at Aquarabia are reserved for women and children, so put a mixed group’s water park day on any other day.