A surprising leak concerning WWE’s future plans appeared recently, revealing that WrestleMania 43 is set to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027. This revelation came through a press release issued in Arabic, which was quickly retracted but confirmed authentic by PWInsider. Additionally, Saudi Arabian advisor Turki Alalshikh briefly shared the announcement via a Snapchat video before it was removed. This development follows WWE’s current tour promoting Wrestlepalooza 2025 scheduled for September 20 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
WWE’s Changing Venues and Upcoming Event Schedule
WWE initially announced WrestleMania 42 would be held in New Orleans next year, but later updated that Las Vegas would host the event instead. Plans for Royal Rumble 2026 have also been disclosed, confirming that it will take place in Saudi Arabia. These changes reflect WWE’s ongoing strategy to rotate major events between prominent cities and international locations, maintaining global fan engagement.
WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long on Venue Shift to Las Vegas
WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long shared his thoughts on the decision to move WrestleMania 42 from New Orleans to Las Vegas during an appearance on The Wrestling Time Machine show by Sportskeeda. Long emphasized the financial benefits and tourist appeal of Las Vegas, suggesting the city’s constant influx of visitors makes it an ideal location for expanding WWE’s audience.
“Well, you got a year to worry about it. It’s only going to run that one time once a year, and people are gonna come into Vegas all through the year, 24/7. It’s a tourist city. So I think you know, people are in and out, so I think it’s a good idea because I believe that every year there are some people that are gonna be in Vegas that weren’t there last year, they didn’t see WrestleMania. And it’s gonna get so big and talked about so much, so a lot of people are gonna say Hey, let’s go to Vegas. We can gamble and, of course, go to WrestleMania,” said Teddy Long.
Potential Implications of WWE’s Ten-Year Saudi Arabia Partnership
Since signing a decade-long deal with Saudi Arabia in 2018, WWE has steadily increased its presence in the region through multiple high-profile events. The news of WrestleMania 43 being hosted there indicates a significant expansion of WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, potentially signaling more major events in the future. This strategic move aims to capitalize on Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in entertainment and sports industries, further diversifying WWE’s global reach.
