New Details On Saudi Arabia Hosting WWE Royal Rumble
Could WWE's annual Royal Rumble PLE be heading to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Following recent reports that Saudia Arabia is looking to host a major WWE Premium Live Event such as WrestleMania or Royal Rumble, there's now an update on the Rumble specifically.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Turki Alalshikh - the Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority - was asked about the possibility of holding the 2025 Royal Rumble from the Kingdom. On that matter, Alalshikh noted how Saudi Sarabia is instead looking for either the 2026 or 2027 Rumble PLEs to be held there.
This comes on the back of comments from Alalshikh that Saudi Arabia's relationship with WWE has been "enhanced" and that a new deal between the two parties will be announced soon, with one aim being to bring a 'Mania or Rumble to Saudi.
While WWE shows had taken place in Saudi Arabia in previous years, a formal relationship was announced in 2018, with that year's Greatest Royal Rumble kicking off a ten-year, two-events-per-year deal worth a reported $50 million per show for WWE. That relationship has been heavily criticised over subsequent years due to, amongst other things, Saudi Arabia's human rights record and allegations of sports washing.
WWE returns to Saudi Arabia later this month with the 24 May episode of SmackDown and the following day's King and Queen of the Ring PLE.