Senegal prepares for Grand Magal de Touba 2026 as date set for August 2

The Grand Magal de Touba, Senegal's largest annual religious pilgrimage, has been scheduled for Sunday, 2 August 2026 (18 Safar 1448), following the sighting of the lunar crescent on 15 July. The official date was confirmed by the local lunar observation commission.

A national preparation meeting in Dakar, chaired by Interior Minister Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé and attended by Mouride representatives, reported that 95 % of the 137 identified logistical needs have been satisfied or are in progress. Priorities include health services, water supply, sanitation, electricity, hygiene, food‑safety controls, security deployments by the police and gendarmerie, and traffic regulation to manage the expected millions of pilgrims.

Authorities aim to ensure safety, prevent food‑borne illness, and reduce accidents as the massive gathering draws faithful from Senegal and the diaspora to the holy city of Touba.