Amman — Attention is turning to the Swedish Academy, which is preparing to announce the winner of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on October 8, amid speculation surrounding the names of several Arab writers on unofficial betting lists.
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The circulating lists include Syrian writers Adonis, Samar Yazbek and Salim Barakat, as well as Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun and Yemeni writer Bushra Al-Maqtari.
According to odds published by British bookmaker Ladbrokes and reported by Literary Hub, Adonis and Tahar Ben Jelloun have odds of 25 to 1, while Samar Yazbek, Salim Barakat and Bushra Al-Maqtari each have odds of 33 to 1.
These lists do not represent official nominations, as the Swedish Academy keeps the names of nominees confidential. Rather, they reflect betting-market expectations and the attention surrounding certain writers.
Chinese writer Can Xue tops the betting list, followed by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, Australian writer Gerald Murnane and American writer Thomas Pynchon, alongside other prominent names from Europe, Asia and the Americas.
