WWE Crown Jewel 2026 Event Status Update – Venue Setup Under Construction In Saudi Arabia, Backstage Reaction To WWE Going Forward With Event In Saudi Arabia

WWE is still currently scheduled to hold their Crown Jewel 2026 event on November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This upcoming event’s status in Saudi Arabia has been uncertain following the United States Department issuing an official update this past September to their existing Level 3 travel advisory in regards to Saudi Arabia over the on-going Iran War. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh had issued a security alert earlier this month warning their citizens in the country following missile attacks from the Houthis on the King Khalid International airport that left several dead. The U.S. State Department had issued an order last week requiring all non-essential diplomatic personnel and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia immediately due to the volatile situation. WWE currently has backup plans in place to hold the event in the United States if unable to do so in Saudi Arabia.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources confirmed that construction for the venue setup for WWE’s upcoming event are currently underway in Saudi Arabia.

Johnson reported that as of Monday, TKO and WWE are still moving forward with their plans to hold the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Johnson also reported that there have been no signs of WWE management wavering on this position.

Fightful Select reported that their sources also confirmed that the current plan is still for Crown Jewel to take place in Saudi Arabia. It was reported that a number of staff and talent are not happy about the situation at this point. Those spoken to reportedly stated that WWE is in constant communication with their hosts regarding the on-going situation.

In a follow-up report, Fightful Select reported that those spoken to onsite claimed that the situation was “nowhere near as bad as the media makes it out to be.” WWE talent and staff spoken to reportedly have been reasonably concerned about it.