RIYADH: Professional wrestling has long been a polarising spectacle. Whether labelled a sport, an art for or a scripted show, one thing is now clear: WWE has captured the Saudi market in unprecedented fashion over the past decade.
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Originally the home of marquee events outside WWE’s traditional “Big Four” Premium Live Events, such as Crown Jewel, Saudi Arabia quickly became a yearly fixture on the global wrestling calendar after the Saudi General Sports Authority struck a 10-year deal with the company.
2025, however, saw a landmark announcement. For the first time in history, one of WWE’s “Big Four”, the Royal Rumble, would be staged outside North America. Riyadh was confirmed as the host city, with the event headlined by the iconic 30-man and 30-woman Royal Rumble matches, where competitors enter at timed intervals until only one remains.
Months later, WWE confirmed another historic first: Wrestlemania would also make its way to Saudi Arabia, with the 43rd edition set to be held in the Kingdom in 2027.
