WWE To Cancel Crown Jewel? Decision On Saudi Arabia Show Expected Today

After mounting pressure on WWE to address the situation surrounding their Crown Jewel show in Saudi Arabia, a resolution should coming today.

According to reports on The Wrap, WWE officials will today decide on whether the show will go ahead, or indeed where it might be held. This follows the publication of the full report by Turkish investigators on the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who it is alleged was killed while in the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Istanbul.

Turkish officials have reaffirmed that they believe he was murdered by Saudi officials after being interrogated and tortured. The Saudi government, however, have previously denied that he was dead and then confirmed he was killed accidentally, but now acknowledge he was murdered by a “rogue operation”.

These developments have led multiple American and European companies to sever ties with the country and distance themselves from the Saudi government's Vision 2030 project - a global PR exercise designed to showcase the changing political and social nature of the country. WWE and specifically their high-profile events in the country had been seen as a major part of this.

But with mounting pressure from sponsors, shareholders, fans, and even internally from stars like Daniel Bryan and John Cena, next Friday's show is now in jeopardy. Last night’s Smackdown Live broadcast carried no mention of Saudi Arabia, but it did continue to advance stories and book matches for Crown Jewel, so the event is almost certainly going ahead. Right now, it’s just a question of where.

Reports had suggested it could be moved to the UK or that a venue in Albany would offer a suitable last-minute alternative. However there is also the possibility that WWE are contractually obligated to honour their original agreement and the event goes ahead at the King Saud University as planned.

An announcement on the show is expected from WWE today.

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