Saudi Arabia Hosts Historic Cybersecurity Competition at Black Hat MEA in Riyadh
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will host the world’s largest Capture the Flag cybersecurity competition during Black Hat Middle East and Africa 2026, held in Riyadh from December 1 to 3.
The event is organized by Tahaluf in partnership with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones and Tuwaiq Academy, drawing cybersecurity specialists from around the world.
The competition builds on a Guinness World Record achieved during a previous Black Hat edition for hosting the world’s largest Capture the Flag event. This year’s contest offers prizes exceeding SR790,000 ($209,957) and will bring the top 150 teams to Riyadh for in-person finals featuring advanced cybersecurity challenges.
Tuwaiq Academy CEO Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi said the competition extends the academy’s efforts to empower national talent and attract global expertise. The 2025 edition of Black Hat MEA attracted more than 45,000 visitors from over 140 countries.
Registration is open through the Tuwaiq Academy website. The competition aims to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for cybersecurity and technology events.
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