WWE’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia just picked up another major concern, because Riyadh’s main international airport isn’t reopening anytime soon.
King Khalid International Airport will remain closed until Saturday evening, October 17, after a series of attacks rocked the Saudi capital and brought air traffic at the country’s busiest airport to a halt. The extended shutdown comes less than a month before WWE is scheduled to bring Crown Jewel to Riyadh on November 7.
Saudi aviation authorities announced the extended closure on October 12 as safety inspections and work to restore full operations continued. Flightradar24 estimates the shutdown impacts roughly 700 flights per day at King Khalid International Airport.
The situation has escalated quickly over the past several days. A missile attack struck the airport on Saturday, October 10, killing 12 people and injuring more than 300 others. Saudi officials blamed Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement for the attack. Another projectile struck a passenger terminal the following day, leaving another person dead and additional people injured.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have turned one of the Middle East’s busiest travel hubs into the center of a rapidly developing security situation. That puts even more attention on WWE with Crown Jewel now just weeks away.
The Premium Live Event is scheduled for November 7 at Riyadh Season Stadium, and WWE has not announced any change to the show as of October 12. Ringside News previously learned that WWE talent and staff were growing concerned about making the trip as attacks and security concerns in the region continued to mount.
There was already another warning sign before the latest airport shutdown. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert ahead of Crown Jewel, reminding Americans to remain vigilant because of ongoing threats involving Saudi airports and airspace.
The advisory specifically warned about the possibility of flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions. Now Riyadh’s largest airport is dealing with exactly that kind of situation.
WWE isn’t the only major sports organization with a huge event planned for Riyadh. Canelo Alvarez is scheduled to face Christian Mbilli on October 31, exactly one week before Crown Jewel. Despite the airport attacks and mounting security concerns, Saudi General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh has made it clear that he still expects the boxing match to happen. Alalshikh said Alvarez personally contacted him after the deadly airport attack and told him he had no intention of backing out.
“Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens. He fears nothing.”
There have been no signs so far that either the Canelo fight or WWE Crown Jewel will be moved or canceled. That could obviously change if the security situation deteriorates further, but right now WWE is still heading toward a November 7 show in Riyadh while the city’s biggest airport remains closed following multiple deadly attacks.
For WWE, this has now moved well beyond a hypothetical travel concern. Riyadh’s primary international airport has been attacked, people have been killed and injured, hundreds of daily flights are being affected, and the airport will remain shut through October 17. Crown Jewel may still be on the calendar, but the situation surrounding WWE’s Saudi Arabia trip is getting harder to ignore by the day.
Do you think WWE should continue moving forward with Crown Jewel in Riyadh if the security situation remains unstable, or should the company start considering another option? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
