Saudi Arabia Reportedly Hoping To Land These Major WWE PLEs
Since 2018, WWE has hosted 10 Premium Live Events in Saudi Arabia, including shows like Crown Jewel, Night of Champions, and Elimination Chamber. However, a reported update surrounding Saudi Arabia's existing agreement with WWE could see more major PLEs hosted in the country. WWE is currently six years into their 10-year agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which already looks likely to get extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to ESPN's Mike Coppinger, Saudi's current Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, is looking to bring larger events like the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia.
Coppinger explained more details about the possible agreement on X by saying: "@Turki_alalshikh tells ESPN an enhancement to Saudi Arabia's existing agreement with WWE will be announced later this month. Specifically, Alalshikh is looking to bring January's annual Royal Rumble or WWE's top event, WrestleMania, to Saudi Arabia. Since 2018, WWE has held at least one of its Premium Live Events in Saudi Arabia. WWE first staged events in the Kingdom in 2014. On May 25, one week after the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Heavyweight Championship boxing match in Riyadh, WWE will hold King and Queen of the Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."
.@Turki_alalshikh tells ESPN an enhancement to Saudi Arabia's existing agreement with WWE will be announced later this month. Specifically, Alalshikh is looking to bring January's annual Royal Rumble or WWE's top event, WrestleMania, to Saudi Arabia.
Since 2018, WWE has held at... https://t.co/cU5A7lTUst
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) May 8, 2024
WWE hosted the Greatest Royal Rumble for the first PLE to take place in Saudi Arabia back in 2018, making it the biggest Rumble of all time, featuring 50 participants entering the match. However, it appears the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now interested in hosting the traditional Royal Rumble event as well as WrestleMania in their country, meaning if this possible new agreement comes to fruition, WWE could bring both events outside of North America for the first time in history. As Coppinger noted, this enhancement to Saudi Arabia's existing agreement with WWE will be announced later this month, which could align with WWE's next PLE in Saudi Arabia, King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.