Reports indicate that Wrestlemania 43 will be held in Saudi Arabia by Brian Ferguson

braddrake97
1 day ago
3 min read

What We Know

Reports indicate that WrestleMania 43 is planned for 2027 in Saudi Arabia. These stem from a prematurely released Arabic press announcement and comments by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Chairman, Turki Alalshikh.
WWE’s existing deal with Saudi Arabia, which began in 2018, involves hosting “large-scale events” there, expanded to two major events per year.
Saudi Arabia has already secured the 2026 Royal Rumble event.
Financially, WWE makes very large sums from events in Saudi Arabia. There are reports that the Saudi GEA is investing heavily to make WrestleMania 43 “the most star-studded show ever.”

Potential Benefits

Huge Financial IncentiveWWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia is lucrative. Hosting WrestleMania there likely means large guarantees, sponsorships, and government support. This can boost revenue and financial stability.
Global Expansion & New MarketsWrestleMania has always been primarily a North American event. Taking it overseas would deepen WWE’s international footprint and could help engage fans in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, etc. It could help grow viewership and merchandising globally.
Elevated Show ProductionWith the investment reportedly high, there’s potential for WrestleMania 43 to be especially grand — more marquee names, special matches, legends returning, enhanced production values. All of this could make it a memorable “Show of Shows.”
Strategic PartnershipsSaudi Arabia under its Vision 2030 is pushing heavily into entertainment as part of diversifying its economy. WWE’s involvement ties into that. It strengthens WWE’s relationship with international governments and could open more opportunities for events, media rights, etc.

Risks and Drawbacks

Human Rights & Reputation ConcernsSaudi Arabia has been criticized for its human rights record, including treatment of women, LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of speech, and political dissent. WWE’s longtime partnership already draws criticism from fans and media who view it as “sportswashing.” Holding its crown jewel event there intensifies that spotlight.
Cultural / Regulatory ConstraintsSaudi Arabia has cultural norms that sometimes affect what WWE performers can do — e.g. restrictions on attire, behavior, or match content (especially for women's matches). These constraints may diminish the kinds of matches or performances WWE fans expect. Even though WWE has included women in Saudi shows since 2019, constraints likely remain.
Fan BacklashSome of the fanbase is resistant to WWE’s expanding presence in Saudi Arabia, particularly for marquee events. Concerns include ethics, the treatment of talent, travel burden, cost, time zones, and potentially diminished atmosphere depending on local fan culture versus WWE’s traditional strongholds. Ringside Intel+1
Logistical and Practical ChallengesWrestleMania is WWE’s biggest production. Overseas events bring increased travel costs, visas, staging/transport of equipment, accommodating global media, audience differences, etc. Ensuring the event lives up to expectations outside the U.S./Canada will be a challenge. Also, ticket pricing and accessibility for international fans could become more complex.
Precedent & PressureOnce you set the precedent of taking your flagship event out of its usual geography, there may be pressure to do it again. WWE will be judged by how well this first overseas WrestleMania performs (financially, critically, with fan satisfaction). If it misfires, the backlash could be major.

Is It a Good Idea?

On balance, the move has considerable upside, especially if WWE executes it well. The financial rewards seem large, and the potential to build a more truly global brand is appealing. Such a change could signal a new era for WWE.

However, whether it is a good idea depends heavily on how WWE addresses the drawbacks:

They must ensure cultural sensitivities are respected without compromising what makes WrestleMania special, especially for fans who expect a certain level of freedom, spectacle, and match style.
They need to be transparent and thoughtful in handling ethical and human rights concerns. Ignoring them could damage WWE’s brand long term.
They must ensure this doesn’t alienate core fans in North America or elsewhere, especially if ticket prices, time zones, or travel make it hard for many to attend.
The promotional and logistic execution has to be top-tier; a WrestleMania that feels “less than” because of venue challenges or restrictions could hurt fan trust.

My Verdict

I lean toward: Yes, it can be a good idea, if WWE does it right. The financial and global branding incentives are strong, and WWE has been gradually pushing more shows into Saudi Arabia and adjusting to the associated challenges for years now. WrestleMania is the biggest WWE spectacle, so pushing its boundaries could pay off.

That said, I’d view it as a gamble. The stakes are high. If fans perceive the show as compromised, if there are controversies related to human rights, or if the experience is not up to the usual WrestleMania standard, the backlash could outweigh the gains.