Katara Prize for Arabic Novel announces 2026 winners

The Katara Cultural Village has announced the winners of the 12th Katara Prize for Arabic Novel in Doha. This edition saw a record-breaking 2,610 entries, the highest since the award's inception, including 1,488 unpublished novels.

A total of 14 winners from various Arab nations were honored across multiple categories. In the published novels category, winners included Egypt’s Samar Nour for ‘Asha the Scarab and the Moon’, Saudi Arabia’s Maha Abdulaziz Al-Yamani for ‘My Hands Do Not Tremble’, and Sudan’s Muhannad Rajab Al-Dabi for ‘The Siege of Gazelle Wow’. These winners receive $30,000 each and the translation of their works into English.

In the unpublished novels category, winners included Algeria’s Sara Selti, Palestine’s Huda Al-Mashharawi, and Saudi Arabia’s Nasser Al-Sharif, each receiving $30,000 and publication support. The youth novel category was shared by Yemen’s Manal Al-Jarash, Algeria’s Khadija Tali, and Egypt’s Hani Al-Qat, with each recipient receiving $15,000.

The ceremony, held at the Doha Opera House, was noted for being more concise than previous years, omitting the mini book fair and critical seminars.