WrestleMania 43 to Be Held in Saudi Arabia, WWE’s First Overseas Show
WWE announced the 2027 flagship event will take place during Riyadh Season; Royal Rumble is also scheduled for Riyadh
WrestleMania will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027, the first time the WWE’s signature event has been staged outside the United States, the company announced Friday. The show is scheduled to be part of Riyadh Season, marking a major expansion of the promotional company’s long-running events partnership with the kingdom.
WWE also confirmed that the Royal Rumble will take place in Riyadh in January, making the Saudi capital the site of two of the company’s largest premium live events. The move continues a pattern of annual WWE events in the country that began after a 2018 agreement with Saudi authorities.
WWE has staged premium live events in Saudi Arabia since the 2018 deal, which industry analysts have estimated at roughly $50 million per show and about $100 million a year. The company has mounted multiple events in the kingdom over the past several years, including June’s Night of Champions and the June 28, 2025, match in Riyadh that featured John Cena and CM Punk.
WrestleMania’s move overseas follows comments this year by Mark Shapiro, chief operating officer of WWE’s parent company TKO, that the company planned to expand its relationship with Saudi Arabia within six to 12 months. TKO announced earlier in 2025 that it would launch its own boxing promotion with UFC chief executive Dana White, Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh and WWE president Nick Khan.
WrestleMania was held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the 2025 edition and is scheduled to return there next year after the company pivoted from New Orleans. WWE’s announcement on Friday did not indicate whether future editions beyond 2027 would be held outside the United States.
The Saudi events are part of a broader entertainment and sports strategy tied to Riyadh Season and related initiatives that have brought international promotions and tournaments to the kingdom. Financial details for the WrestleMania booking were not disclosed in the company’s announcement.
WWE has presented a series of high-profile matches and special events in the kingdom since 2018 under the multi-year agreement. The company’s decision to stage WrestleMania abroad marks a first in its nearly four-decade history of staging the event in U.S. cities and stadiums, and represents a notable shift in the company’s event strategy amid broader corporate moves by TKO into boxing and international markets.
The January Royal Rumble and the announced 2027 WrestleMania in Riyadh will be the latest chapters in WWE’s continued partnership with Saudi authorities and promoters. WWE did not immediately provide a venue or exact dates for the WrestleMania event in 2027.