WWE is still moving forward with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, but the company apparently isn’t putting all of its eggs in one basket.
Fightful Select reports that WWE already has a backup venue in the United States ready in case the November 7 event cannot take place in Riyadh.
The update comes after the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament was postponed until late December 2026, raising even more questions about whether Crown Jewel could be impacted as well. According to WrestleVotes on Fightful Select, WWE personnel scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia are still operating as if the show will happen exactly as planned unless they are told otherwise.
“WWE and those scheduled to make the trip are operating under the impression that the event will move forward as planned, until someone tells them otherwise.”
However, WWE appears to have a contingency plan in place if circumstances force the company to scrap the trip.
“Additionally, we’ve learned that WWE does have a backup venue in the USA ready to go in case the trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, does not happen as planned.”
That gives WWE an escape route if the situation changes quickly, but for now, there has been no announcement that Crown Jewel is leaving Saudi Arabia. The backup plan comes as questions continue to pile up around WWE’s trip to Riyadh.
Bryan Alvarez recently claimed on Wrestling Observer Live that people within WWE do not want to make the trip, even though wrestlers have not publicly spoken out about the situation. Alvarez said production workers have been more open about their concerns, including some who allegedly posted about the trip on social media.
“None of the wrestlers have said anything publicly about this. I can safely say that internally, nobody wants to go, but they can’t say anything. There have been production people who have posted on Instagram that they don’t want to go, and WWE wasn’t happy about that.”
Alvarez also claimed that someone within WWE raised a much more serious concern when discussing the possibility of another missile strike while so much of the company’s roster and crew would be in Riyadh.
“I did hear from someone there yesterday that, ‘You do realize that one missile strike wipes out the entire company?’ It’s not, ‘Oh, you know, this or that’ like, the company is gone. And obviously, this person doesn’t want to go, but right now, they are going.”
The situation became even more uncertain after Saudi outlet Ejal stated that the General Entertainment Authority is considering canceling all Riyadh Season events for the remainder of the year.
Crown Jewel is currently scheduled as part of Riyadh Season, meaning any broad cancellation could have an immediate impact on WWE’s plans. There have also been security concerns surrounding Riyadh following recent attacks involving King Khalid International Airport, adding another layer to an already complicated situation.
For now, WWE is still preparing to head to Riyadh on November 7, and everyone involved is being told to operate as though nothing has changed. The difference now is that WWE apparently has a U.S. building waiting in the wings if the Saudi Arabia trip falls apart.
That means Crown Jewel may still happen one way or another. The biggest question is whether WWE ends up presenting it from Riyadh or has to make a last-minute call and bring the entire show back to the United States.
Do you think WWE should move Crown Jewel to the United States now, or continue with the Saudi Arabia trip unless something officially changes? Let us know what you think in the comments.
