WWE Crown Jewel 2026 could feature another major singles match, with a new report revealing that Gunther and Finn Bálor were originally scheduled to face each other at the upcoming premium live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com, Gunther vs. Bálor was included in WWE’s original plans for the November 7 event. However, it remains unclear whether the company still intends to move forward with the matchup following Crown Jewel’s recent venue change.
The potential match came to light after photographs surfaced showing construction work at the event’s originally scheduled location, Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD. Advertising materials displaying previously announced matches were visible at the site, alongside separate promotional posters featuring Gunther and Bálor.
Meltzer confirmed that the two Superstars had been included in the original lineup, although the promotional materials may have reflected plans that have since changed.
“We do know that on the original lineup for the show, that Balor vs. Gunther was on it, so if it’s not happening, it was changed and the people working on the stadium in Saudi still had the old lineup,” Meltzer wrote.
Gunther and Bálor have been involved in an ongoing rivalry on Friday Night SmackDown, with both also positioned as potential challengers for Sami Zayn’s Undisputed WWE Championship.
With SmackDown airing live from Charleston, West Virginia, tonight, October 30, WWE could potentially use the broadcast to confirm whether the match will take place at Crown Jewel. Gunther has also been teased for a confrontation with Danhausen during the Halloween-themed edition of the show.
The report follows WWE’s decision to relocate Crown Jewel from Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD to The Venue, also referred to as ANB Arena, in Riyadh. The change has raised questions about whether any previously planned matches or other aspects of the event have been affected.
As of this writing, WWE has officially announced four matches for Crown Jewel 2026:
Crown Jewel Title: Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn
Singles Match: Liv Morgan vs. Chelsea Green
Last Man Standing Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
World Tag Team Championship: Bron Breakker and Austin Theory (c) vs. Penta and Je’Von Evans
Gunther vs. Bálor has not been officially added to the card, and there is currently no confirmation that the original plans remain unchanged.
WWE Crown Jewel 2026 is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 7, at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
