WWE continues to make history after announcing one of its most iconic events is headed to Saudi Arabia.
Professional wrestling’s biggest organisation has been on a roll in recent years, boasting sell-out crowds, record gates and mammoth sponsorship deals aplenty.
Easily one of the biggest landmark moments in recent years came on Monday night as WWE’s flagship Monday Night Raw programme made its debut on Netflix.
The streaming giant forked out a reported $5bn for the exclusive US rights to Raw in early 2024 and, after a build-up of almost a year, finally kicked off its new era from California’s Intuit Dome with a first red brand show of 2025.
A unique mix of legends and current stars were slated to be part of the epic blockbuster; The Rock, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley and Logan Paul all among the names to feature.
With just hours to go until the historic Raw took to air, however, it was news of a different show that began to dominate the headlines courtesy of an announcement about the status of one of WWE’s biggest titles of all time.
For almost 30 years, the Royal Rumble event has been a staple part of the calendar for wrestling fans, usually sitting as the first Premium Live Event of the year and officially acting as the start of the Road to WrestleMania.
2025’s Rumble will be the first WWE PLE to sit on Netflix, the epic airing from the Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 1st as stars battle it out for glory and the chance to headline WrestleMania 41 later in the year.
Twelve months down the line, the 2026 edition of the traditional classic will have a very different look and feel as WWE takes the show outside of North America for the first time as it ventures to Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has already played host to numerous events as part of WWE’s ongoing relationship with the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, but Royal Rumble marks by far its biggest acquisition yet.
In a statement, HE Turki Alalshikh said: “Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Royal Rumble for the first time outside North America reflects the General Entertainment Authority’s ongoing commitment to bringing the world’s largest and most important entertainment events to the Kingdom. Through this partnership with WWE, we aim to enhance the entertainment sector and deliver a transformative experience that attracts a wide audience.”
He added: “We are excited to see this historic event as part of Riyadh Season’s activities and look forward to providing an exceptional experience for wrestling fans from around the world, whom we welcome to all events hosted in Saudi Arabia.”
Few details about the Saudi Royal Rumble have been confirmed, thought WWE President Nick Khan did add that the instalment will see the Rumble revert back to January, its more traditional spot in the calendar.
Khan said: “WWE is a global enterprise and it only made sense to expand our relationship with the Kingdom by bringing one of our biggest annual events to Riyadh in January of 2026.
Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, King & Queen of the Ring, Night of Champions, and episodes of SmackDown and Raw have all aired from Saudi Arabia in previous years.
The Royal Rumble made its WWE debut back in 1988 and was last held in Florida’s Tropicana Field in 2024.
