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WWE to Hold WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia

The 2027 event in Riyadh has drawn calls from U.S. lawmakers in both parties to cancel it over human rights concerns.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Wrestling

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WWE plans to hold WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh in 2027, drawing bipartisan calls from U.S. lawmakers to cancel the event over human rights concerns. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you attend a major sports entertainment event held in Saudi Arabia?

WWE is scheduled to hold WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027. The event has drawn urging from congressional Democrats and Republicans to cancel it, but WWE has stated it is not cancelling.

Why it matters

WrestleMania is the largest wrestling event in the world, so its location draws attention to the relationship between the sport and the Saudi government. Critics have raised human rights concerns and described the events as a sportswashing tactic.

WrestleMania 43 is scheduled for 2027 in Riyadh, following a 2019 WrestleMania event in Saudi Arabia hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi Public Investment Fund holds a majority stake in WWE's parent company, TKO Group Holdings.

The players

WWE

WWE is a professional wrestling entertainment company and the organizer of WrestleMania, the largest wrestling event in the world.

TKO Group Holdings

TKO Group Holdings is the parent company of WWE, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund owns a majority stake in it.

Saudi Public Investment Fund

The Saudi Public Investment Fund is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia that holds a majority stake in TKO Group Holdings.

Mohammed bin Salman

Mohammed bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who hosted a WrestleMania event in the country in 2019.

The details

WWE is scheduled to hold WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh in 2027 through a partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority. Congressional Democrats and Republicans have urged the company to cancel the event over human rights concerns, while WWE has said it is not cancelling.

Timeline

  1. 2019: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted a prior WrestleMania event in Saudi Arabia.

  2. 2027: WrestleMania 43 is scheduled to take place in Riyadh.

Season Trajectory

WrestleMania 43 extends a pattern set by the 2019 WrestleMania event hosted in Saudi Arabia by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The continued scheduling of WWE events in the country places the company's relationship with Saudi Arabia at the center of the sport's international growth.

Fans considering attending WrestleMania 43 will need to plan for travel to Riyadh in 2027. The event's location means its broadcast and attendance will depend on how WWE proceeds despite congressional requests to cancel it.

The takeaway

The scheduling of WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia places WWE's business ties with the Saudi government at the center of debate over the event. Readers following the story can track whether the company proceeds with the 2027 date as lawmakers continue to press for cancellation.

What happens next

WrestleMania 43 is scheduled to take place in Riyadh in 2027.

Further reading

Explore more Wrestling coverage for context on WWE's global events.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Elko Daily Free Press.

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Would you attend a major sports entertainment event held in Saudi Arabia?