Tag: WrestleMania 43

Report: WWE Monitoring Middle East Tensions, Has Backup Plans for WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia

WWE’s long-term plans for WrestleMania 43 don’t appear to be changing—for now—but there’s clearly some behind-the-scenes caution as global tensions continue to rise.

According to a new report from PWInsider Elite, WrestleMania 43 is still scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2027. Despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including recent U.S. military action involving Iran, WWE has not made any official adjustments to the event’s location.

That said, the company isn’t ignoring the situation. Sources indicate WWE has contingency plans in place for events scheduled in the region, should conditions change. While no specific alternatives have been outlined, officials are reportedly monitoring developments closely and are prepared to pivot if necessary.

The uncertainty comes as several major international events have already been impacted. Formula 1 recently canceled its Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix, both originally slated for April, due to the escalating conflict. WWE, however, is still moving forward with its Saudi partnership, with another event expected in the Kingdom this summer—though an official date has yet to be announced.

This isn’t the first time geopolitical tensions have threatened WWE’s plans in the region. Back in 2025, Night of Champions was briefly in jeopardy when Saudi Arabia closed its airspace amid missile exchanges between Israel and Iran. Travel disruptions even left some WWE production staff stranded in Qatar, though the event ultimately went on as scheduled.

As for WrestleMania 43, WWE has options if a change becomes necessary. The company has previously promised WrestleMania hosting duties to multiple U.S. cities, including Indianapolis and New Orleans, either of which could potentially step in if plans in Saudi Arabia fall through.

For now, though, WWE is staying the course—while quietly preparing for anything that might come next.

The Rock Is In Talks With WWE For A Match At WrestleMania 43 – Final Match Of Career?

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may be sitting out WrestleMania 42, but that doesn’t mean WWE is done trying to get him back between the ropes. In fact, a new report suggests the company already has its sights set on a much bigger stage for The Rock’s potential return — and it could come a year later in Saudi Arabia.

According to Andrew Baydala, WWE has reopened discussions with Johnson, though not for this year’s WrestleMania. Instead, the offer on the table is for WrestleMania 43, which is currently planned to take place in Riyadh in 2027. While nothing has been finalized, the belief is that WWE sees this event as a possible capstone to The Rock’s in-ring career. At this point, Johnson is said to be weighing his options and has not committed either way.

The report comes after The Rock’s high-profile return to WWE television earlier in 2025. During that run, he was heavily involved in the angle that led to John Cena’s stunning heel turn at Elimination Chamber in Toronto. That storyline fueled speculation that The Rock would wrestle at WrestleMania, but those plans never materialized, with Johnson stepping away due to a mix of personal priorities and creative considerations.

If an agreement is reached for WrestleMania 43, the Riyadh show could be positioned as a historic moment — potentially the final match of one of the most influential figures the industry has ever seen. For now, WWE appears content to play the long game, hoping the right setting and timing will convince The Rock to lace up his boots one last time on the biggest stage possible.

WWE Officially Announces WrestleMania 43 To Take Place In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

WWE officially announced today what was reported yesterday, that WrestleMania 43 will take place in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

WWE officially announced that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, marking the first time the flagship event will take place outside of North America. The historic announcement was made by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque in Las Vegas, with the event being part of Riyadh Season. The decision was made in part to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the First Saudi State

The announcement featured Joe Tessitore, Turki Al-Sheikh (Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia), The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Stephanie Vaquer and Charlotte Flair.

WWE has had some form of a partnership with the government in Saudi Arabia since 2014, when they began hosting live events in the country. The agreement has expanded several times since, with WWE now hosting multiple major events there each year.

The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble will also take place in Saudi Arabia, but before WrestleMania heads there, next year’s edition of the event will return to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the second year in a row. Since merging with the UFC to form TKO, WWE has been especially eager to plan its major events around who can offer the largest site fee, and despite an initial announcement that the show would take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, the company later made the decision to move it back to Vegas.

Report: WrestleMania 43 Reportedly Set for Saudi Arabia in 2027

WrestleMania may soon be heading to brand-new territory. According to a new report, WWE is preparing to stage its biggest annual event, WrestleMania 43, in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

PWInsider noted that a press release in Arabic briefly surfaced online this week, confirming the event before it was quickly pulled back. While it looks like the news went out ahead of schedule, the outlet has verified that the announcement is legitimate and should be made official in the near future.

Adding fuel to the speculation, a now-deleted X post from user @MajedM60 shared video of Turki Alalshikh—the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority—seemingly revealing the news on Snapchat. Translations of the clip referenced WrestleMania as “the biggest WWE wrestling festival,” lending further credibility to the report.

This wouldn’t be Saudi Arabia’s first step into the WWE spotlight. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the Kingdom will host the 2026 Royal Rumble, and rumors quickly followed that the country was pushing to land WrestleMania itself. Dave Meltzer previously reported that Saudi officials had long been interested in bringing the event overseas, with significant financial backing behind the effort.

WWE has been running premium live events in Saudi Arabia since striking a 10-year partnership with the nation back in 2018. Fans have seen shows like Crown Jewel and Night of Champions take place in Riyadh and Jeddah, though it remains unclear which city would land WrestleMania 43.

For now, the official word is still pending. The big question is whether WWE will announce it themselves or if Saudi officials will beat them to the punch once again.

If confirmed, WrestleMania 43 in 2027 would mark the first time “The Showcase of the Immortals” has taken place outside North America, making it a historic milestone in the event’s storied history.