Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Riyadh Season will host WrestleMania 43 in 2027, marking the first time the iconic wrestling spectacle will be staged outside of North America.

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, announced the move on Friday in partnership with the General Entertainment Authority (GEA).

The event is expected to elevate Saudi Arabia’s growing role in international entertainment and reinforce Riyadh Season’s global standing.

In a statement, GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh said: “WrestleMania is already the biggest date on the wrestling calendar, and this announcement marks a significant moment in our partnership with WWE. Our vision is to elevate this iconic event to unprecedented heights and deliver a WrestleMania unlike anything the world has ever seen.”

Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Chief Content Officer, praised the partnership, adding: “Turki Alalshikh and GEA have made a massive impact on the world of sports and entertainment. They have been phenomenal partners to WWE, and we look forward to bringing WrestleMania 43 to new heights.”

The announcement highlights the deepening collaboration between WWE and Saudi Arabia since 2018, which has produced record-breaking events such as Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, King & Queen of the Ring, and Night of Champions.

Riyadh will also host the 39th annual Royal Rumble this January, broadcast live on ESPN in the United States and on Netflix worldwide.

WrestleMania is a week-long celebration that includes fan festivals, Friday Night SmackDown, Monday Night Raw, NXT, and community outreach initiatives. It draws fans from more than 60 countries and has generated over $1.5 billion in economic impact for host cities over the past decade.

The announcement follows the record-breaking WrestleMania 41, held in Las Vegas earlier this year, which became the most successful and highest-grossing event in WWE history.