WWE President Nick Khan says the company has already mapped out its creative plans for WrestleMania 43, roughly seven months before the historic event takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khan discussed WrestleMania during an appearance on The Varsity with John Ourand, where the conversation touched on WWE’s continued international expansion and its evolution from an American company distributing content globally into what it now views as a truly global product.
WrestleMania 43 will be the first WrestleMania held outside the United States or Canada, something Khan emphasized while discussing the significance of the event.
“It’s never been outside of the US or Canada. It’s going to be in Riyadh. It’s going to be a significant show,” Khan said.
More notably, Khan revealed that WWE’s creative direction for the event is already in place, although injuries could inevitably force changes.
“We’re already across the creative. Of course, that’s subject to any injury,” he said, before repeating it. “We’re already across the creative.”
Having WrestleMania plans mapped out this far in advance would put WWE well ahead of its traditional timetable. Historically, major WrestleMania matches have continued to take shape around the Royal Rumble and throughout the weeks leading into the event.
Khan also detailed WWE’s plans for fans who will remain in the United States during WrestleMania weekend. The company has booked the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York for both nights, with viewing parties followed by either NXT or AAA events.
“WrestleMania Saturday will have a watchalong party followed by either NXT or AAA. And the next day, MSG Theater, a watchalong party followed by either NXT or AAA, whichever one didn’t go on the Saturday night,” Khan said. “So we’re also going to do viewing parties and all of these things from the US and other countries.”
Khan expressed confidence that the approach will ultimately deliver for WWE’s audience.
“We think, ultimately, the fans will go home happy.”
The plan highlights the additional options WWE now has following its acquisition of AAA last year. With both AAA and NXT available to run events in New York, WWE can maintain a significant WrestleMania weekend presence in the United States while its main roster performs in Riyadh.
WrestleMania 43 was announced for Riyadh by Triple H and Turki Alalshikh on September 12, 2025, and is scheduled for April 2027. WWE has yet to announce the specific dates for the two-night event.
WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia dates back to 2018’s Greatest Royal Rumble and has since included Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber and other major events. The 2026 Royal Rumble was also held in Riyadh, where Gunther ended AJ Styles’ in-ring career.
Throughout the interview, Khan emphasized WWE’s increasingly global outlook. The company’s Netflix agreement made Raw available to subscribers across much of the world simultaneously, while the acquisition of AAA gave WWE ownership of a major promotion based outside the United States.
WrestleMania 43 will represent the biggest step in that strategy yet when WWE takes its flagship event outside North America for the first time.
