Fresh concerns have emerged surrounding WWE Crown Jewel 2026 after the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued an urgent security warning following reported attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The premium live event is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, at Riyadh Season Stadium in the King Abdullah Financial District, just four weeks after the latest incident. As of Saturday, October 10, WWE has not announced any changes to the event’s date or location.
The U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on Saturday advising American citizens to avoid Riyadh’s international airport and the surrounding area. “The U.S. Mission is aware of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 and strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.” The embassy also confirmed that U.S. government employees in Saudi Arabia now require special authorization to use the airport and warned travelers about “potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.” The U.S. State Department currently maintains a Level 3 travel advisory for Saudi Arabia, urging Americans to reconsider travel to the country.
According to the Associated Press, a missile struck a passenger terminal at King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, prompting an evacuation of the facility.
The report cited two regional officials familiar with the incident. Euronews separately reported that dozens of people were injured, citing a hospital source in Riyadh. The source indicated that most of those injured were Saudi nationals. The outlet also reported, based on Flightradar24 information, that flights bound for Riyadh had been diverted or canceled. Saturday’s incident followed attacks on the same airport two days earlier, which reportedly killed three Saudi citizens, including Saudia pilot Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami.
The earlier attacks were claimed by Houthi forces, who have described their strikes as retaliation for Saudi military operations targeting airports in Sanaa and Hodeidah. The Houthis have also warned airlines against operating within Saudi airspace amid the renewed regional conflict.
Questions surrounding WWE’s upcoming Saudi Arabian event had reportedly been circulating internally even before Saturday’s attack. Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly reported on Thursday that the possibility of holding Crown Jewel in Riyadh had become a “big topic of conversation in WWE.” Additionally, WrestleVotes Radio reported through Fightful Select in September that WWE personnel who regularly travel to Saudi Arabia had been asking whether the event might be relocated or rescheduled.
WWE President Nick Khan previously addressed the company’s approach to safety during an April town hall meeting ahead of Night of Champions in Riyadh. “We’re only going if it’s safe or if we’re allowed there,” Khan said, according to audio obtained by POST Wrestling. “If U.S. citizens are allowed in at this moment in time, it is declared and deemed safe, we’ll all be going there.”
Although those comments were made months before the latest developments, they outlined WWE’s stated position regarding travel and security considerations.
Tickets for Crown Jewel officially went on sale on October 2, with the announcement made by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman, Turki Alalshikh.
Two championship matches have already been announced for the November event:
Men’s Crown Jewel Championship: World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn
Women’s Crown Jewel Championship: Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer vs. WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green
Neither match has been removed from the advertised lineup.
The uncertainty comes amid WWE’s longstanding and financially significant relationship with Saudi Arabia. The partnership began in 2018 through a 10-year agreement, with WWE announcing an expansion in November 2019 that included a second annual major event through 2027. Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston has previously estimated that WWE receives approximately $50 million per Saudi Arabian event, based on regulatory filings and financial information disclosed during shareholder litigation. Neither WWE nor parent company TKO publicly discloses the exact payment for individual events.
TKO’s first-quarter 2026 financial report attributed increased WWE live event revenue partly to higher financial incentive payments, particularly those associated with the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.
POST Wrestling’s analysis similarly estimated that the Riyadh event generated revenue in the region of $50 million.
Wrestlenomics previously estimated that WWE had earned approximately $600 million from its Saudi Arabian events as of June 2025.
The company’s agreement has also included provisions addressing postponed events. When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented WWE from holding Saudi shows in 2020 and 2021, WWE indicated that the missed events would be added to the end of the agreement.
However, neither WWE nor the General Entertainment Authority has publicly explained how a potential cancellation or postponement would be handled under the current circumstances.
The situation could also attract attention because Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host WrestleMania 43 in 2027. WWE officially announced in September 2025 that Riyadh Season would host the event, marking the first WrestleMania to take place outside North America. Although an official date has not been confirmed, WrestleMania 43 is expected to take place in April 2027.
Khan recently revealed that WWE has already developed its creative plans for the event. Meanwhile, WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett suggested in September that the company likely established contingency plans when it initially agreed to bring WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia. His comments were speculative rather than confirmation of any specific alternative arrangements.
For now, Crown Jewel remains officially scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh.
With the latest airport attack prompting new security warnings and significant reported travel disruption, attention will likely turn to whether WWE issues an official update regarding its plans for the event.
Security Alert: U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia (October 10, 2026)
The U.S. Mission is aware of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 and strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas.
U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
U.S. citizens should be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions. We recommend checking your flight departure status directly with the airline and with the airport.
U.S. Government Employee Travel Restrictions:
U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization to use the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to travel within 20 miles of the Yemen border due to safety risks and need special authorization for travel to the provinces of Jizan, Asir, Najran, and the cities of Qatif, Yanbu, and Taif.Read more: https://t.co/uBrNoUIE3W
— U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) October 10, 2026
