A few hours ago, Riyadh authorities announced that Crown Jewel 2026 would be moving to a different venue.
The press release confirmed that everyone who bought a ticket would be refunded and that the new arena along with the new ticket sales would be announced within 48 hours. Fightful has since weighed in on the topic and confirms that this announcement came as a surprise to everyone.
According to an internal source, even WWE employees learned the news via social media. So this wasn’t a notice given to WWE in advance by the organizers, but rather a 100% orchestrated change on their part.
A change ten days before the PLE that surprised fans and staff.
An Arena Ten Minutes Away
In fact, the new venue is already decided. According to Forbes, Crown Jewel 2026 will be relocated to the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Unlike the first option, this venue is an enclosed arena with a roof, a venue that WWE has visited before. It sits close to the Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD, which was originally slated to host the show, roughly a 10-minute drive away.
A notable difference is that the new arena has a roof, and it is located in the heart of Riyadh Season. So were the authorities aiming to bring the show closer to the main activities? Or did they want a roofed venue for security? These questions remain unanswered.
Incidentally, this weekend at the ‘The Venue’ arena right opposite the Kingdom Arena, the global boxing event titled ‘Mexico vs The World’ will take place. An area that will already be crowded and secured this weekend. This could serve as a preview for WWE’s weekend to follow.
