7 Uncomfortable Truths About WWE In 2026
1. Saudi Arabia
WWE's shows with Saudi Arabia are the biggest money-spinners in company history. It is reported that WWE receives $50 million per show in Saudi Arabia, and these events outdraw WrestleMania on pure profit. Forget the big-name PLEs. At a time when income is more important than ever to TKO, these shows are the real jewels in their crown.
If fans wanted to take a stand against these shows in the past due to human rights infringements, it used to be easy to sit them out as they were nothing more than glorified house shows. Now, Night Of Champions crowns the King and Queen of the Ring who will go on to headline SummerSlam (usually). This year's Royal Rumble took place in Riyadh, and next year, WrestleMania will leave the US and Canada for the first time to take place in "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Fans have to watch these shows or they'll miss some of the biggest plot points of the whole year.
When Vince McMahon was first rumored to be selling WWE in early 2023, Saudi Arabia was widely reported to be the buyers. The outrage from fans at the time was nuclear. In the years since, WWE as a product has begun to soften its audience's hostility towards that region. A cynical mind might suggest that TKO is using WWE to bring in as much revenue as possible to clear company debt and make a sale to Saudi Arabia more palatable for fans. Time will tell if this proves to be speculation or fact.