It's only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia hosts a WrestleMania

The revenue generated by WWE through site fees in Saudi Arabia surpasses that earned from attendance fees at WrestleMania.

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I have been a fan of wrestling for as long as I can remember. 

I was a kid during the height of the WWE Attitude Era and got to witness the rise of icons like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, whose larger-than-life personas laid the foundation for my fandom. I also witnessed the tasteless bra-and-panties matches, mud fights, stripteases and other forms of objectification that characterized that infamous era in wrestling. 

While the WWE has changed dramatically over the past two decades, one thing that remains constant is WrestleMania. 

The WWE’s annual showcase is more than just wrestling. It is a cultural phenomenon that incorporates athleticism, pageantry, and nostalgia. That nostalgia was on display during WrestleMania 40 this past weekend, which featured the return of The Rock and a slew of other stars from my childhood. 

As I watched the event unfold, I could not help but reflect on the evolution of the industry. Then, I began to ponder its future, including the possibility of such mega spectacles making their way to Saudi Arabia.

Since 2016, Saudi Arabia has spent billions on high-profile international sports and entertainment events. The strategic investments are part of the kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ masterplan that aims to diversify Saudi’s economy. It also serves as a multi-faceted soft power strategy that includes boosting tourism and other economic sectors, diplomacy, and reputation laundering.

In March 2018, WWE announced its “10-year strategic multiplatform partnership” with the kingdom, whereby the WWE earns approximately $50 million for each event held in Saudi Arabia. The first event in the agreement was the Greatest Royal Rumble—a spin-off from WWE's annual Royal Rumble event that included 50 participants instead of the traditional 30—which took place the following month in Jeddah. The event was essentially a five-hour propaganda tribute for a theocratic monarchy and its so-called reforms. 

WWE hosted its second show in partnership with Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2, 2018—exactly one month following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The organization faced significant backlash from the press for proceeding with the event, especially during a time when the international community appeared to be distancing itself from the kingdom. 

In 2019, the WWE announced that it had expanded its partnership with Saudi Arabia through 2027, which would include hosting “two large-scale events” in the kingdom each year. Saudi’s General Entertainment Authority also announced that it would develop a WWE Experience theme park to coincide with the Riyadh Season winter festival. The theme park opened in February 2024. 

Overall, WWE has held 10 premium events in Saudi Arabia, the most recent of which was the “Crown Jewel” event in November 2023. Given the organization’s deepening ties to the kingdom, it is likely that Saudi will attempt to secure a WrestleMania showcase sometime in the next few years.

WrestleMania 41 is rumoured to take place in U.S. Bank Stadium, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while there is no confirmed location for the 2026 show. Meanwhile, Tennessee Titans president and CEO revealed during a recent interview that the WWE has committed to bringing WrestleMania to New NISSAN Stadium in Nashville, which should be completed in time for the show.

While Saudi could push for WrestleMania 42 or 44, it is more likely that the kingdom would aim to host the spectacle in 2030—the year marking the symbolic culmination of Bin Salman’s grand vision for Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s original intention was to host the 2030 edition of the World Cup. However, they had to settle for 2034, leaving room for other mega-events to mark that moment.

Additionally, WWE's revenue from site fees in Saudi Arabia exceeds that from attendance fees at WrestleMania. Each event in Saudi earns WWE approximately $50 million, more than double the live gate for WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which was $21.6 million. While WrestleMania 40 is expected to surpass this record, it's unlikely to match the earning potential of a single event in Saudi Arabia.

Indeed, this reflects Saudi Arabia's strategy in recent years: enticing sports leagues and organizations with lucrative contracts that are difficult to decline, regardless of prominent human rights concerns. This trend extends across various sports, as evidenced by a recent agreement in tennis, where the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) partnered with Saudi Arabia to host the women's tennis finals for the next three years.

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The WTA and the WWE also occupy an interesting role in Saudi’s overall sports and entertainment strategy, as both brands help launder the kingdom’s reputation when it comes to its treatment of women. This was particularly evident when the WWE began holding events with female talent, who had been barred from performing in Saudi Arabia until 2019. The organization presented the change as evidence of the kingdom’s reforms.

Saudi Arabia has made some strides in its treatment of women, including eliminating some restrictions imposed through male guardianship. However, the kingdom failed to abolish the guardianship system in its entirety, and has also continued to imprison women for peaceful expressions in support of women’s rights and imposed travel bans on women activists like Loujain al-Hathloul.

Beyond the obvious reservations with hosting a WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia, it is also worth noting some of the benefits. Similar to Qatar staging the 2022 World Cup, holding WrestleMania in the Gulf kingdom presents an occasion for individuals from various parts of the Middle East and Southeast Asia to participate in an event typically accessible only to those with the privilege of obtaining visas and affording travel to the Western hemisphere. Saudi Arabia recognizes this aspect and is keen on leveraging its sports influence as a component of its diplomatic and international relations strategy.

In the wake of a former WWE employee accusing Vince McMahon of sexual misconduct and trafficking, resulting in him stepping down as from the board of directors of WWE’s parent company TKO, WWE made a point of hailing WrestleMania 40 as a “new era” in the organization’s history—an era helmed by McMahon’s son-in-law Paul “Triple H” Levesque. However, it is also an era that is very much intertwined with a kingdom that has positioned the WWE as a cog in its well-oiled propaganda machine.

WWE hosting WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia isn't up for debate; it's simply a matter of timing.

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