“ARE YOU F***ING KIDDING ME”- WWE fans ridicule the decision of Saudi Arabia reportedly hosting a major PLE in 2026
As per a new update, WWE is set to visit Saudi Arabia for its biggest show in the country to date in early 2026.
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WWE Saudi Arabia [via- Arab News]
Back in May 2024, the president of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, had set the record straight on Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan of hosting a Royal Rumble or even a WrestleMania in the future. They’ve got one of them. As per PWInsider, the 2026 Royal Rumble PLE will emanate from Saudi Arabia.
The report added that the deal is locked in and an official announcement is expected as soon as the Netflix premiere of Raw. It’s on track to become the first-ever Royal Rumble in history since its inception as a premium live event that would be held outside of the US. It’s worth noting that Saudi Arabia has previously staged a 50-man Royal Rumble bout as part of the Greatest Royal Rumble.
Braun Strowman emerged victorious, and his name was etched in history books. In 2018, WWE and the Saudi Arabian officials agreed on terms for a 10-year-long strategic partnership. The deal has since witnessed the Stamford-based promotion visit the country in the Middle East for 12 PLEs and a couple of TV shows.
Going by the aforementioned report, if next year’s Royal Rumble does indeed descend on Riyadh or its adjacent cities, WrestleMania wouldn’t be that far either. Throughout 2024, WWE tapped into different regions of Europe. The promotion even toured the land down under for Elimination Chamber. That number is expected to only go up a notch in 2025.
In previous filings, it was unveiled that WWE gets paid $50 million/show on Arabian soil. They typically do a couple of them per year, which balloons the net fees up to a staggering $100 million. WWE has apparently extended its deal with the Saudis, but the specifics haven’t been out yet.
Fans stand opposed to a Saudi Arabia-based Royal Rumble PLE
WWE’s potential visit to Saudi Arabia for Royal Rumble 2026 isn’t something the fans are appreciative of. As soon as the report came out, the netizens started dismissing it as a bad idea.
One even mocked the country’s notoriously lukewarm crowd, adding that it’d severely impact the proposed Rumble. A fan posted that infamous clip of one of The Rock‘s social media promos where he dropped an F-bomb to express their disapproval.
It’s still a long time to go until then. Saudi Arabia does have the infrastructure for pulling off the grandest of events. WWE is likely to move ahead with its mutual agreement with Arabia to kick off next year with a bang. The backlash that’d come along with it might fall on deaf ears.
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Vibhor Pal
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