WWE President Nick Khan Explains Why WrestleMania 2027 Is Heading to Saudi Arabia

WrestleMania 2027 is already officially heading to Saudi Arabia — and during a recent appearance at the Joy Forum, WWE President Nick Khan laid out exactly why the company chose the Kingdom as its next destination.

Khan stressed that WWE’s international strategy requires more than just broadcasting shows globally — he said it requires presence, relationships, and on‑the‑ground operations.

“It was a natural next step for us. In WWE, we realized a number of years ago that we can’t simply pipe American product out globally and hope to be a global product. You actually have to have boots on the ground.”

He also reminded everyone of WWE’s growing footprint overseas — nearly half of its premium live events now take place outside the U.S. — and pointed to WWE’s eight‑year partnership with Turki Al‑Sheikh and Saudi Arabia as a key reason the country was selected.

“We’re in the eighth year of a long‑term partnership with Turki Al‑Sheikh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We’re bringing Royal Rumble here at the end of January. It’s the first time Royal Rumble … will take place outside of the US or Canada. WrestleMania 2027 will be here in April of that year, first time ever WrestleMania will be outside of the US or Canada. We’re excited. We think viewership is going to be strong. … we’re going to put on a spectacle.”

When asked why Saudi Arabia over other potential locations, Khan emphasized the importance of having a true partner.

“WWE had received a number of different offers from entities outside of the US, and to me … it’s all about relationships. … That’s what Turki and [Saudi] have done with us, repeatedly.”

Once Saudi expressed interest, Khan said things moved quickly — meetings were held, the deal was struck, and the announcement followed shortly thereafter.

“We got together for a couple of different meetings, worked out the deal in short order, and had the good fortune of announcing it the day before Canelo‑Crawford, our first fight together in Las Vegas.”

The announcement itself was made on September 12, and now Khan’s comments help fill out WWE’s motive, vision, and strategy for its biggest show ever held outside Canada or the U.S.