WWE held its 2026 Royal Rumble premium live event (PLE) on Saturday, January 31st, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Throughout certain parts of the show, large sections of the stadium appeared completely empty.
According to PWInsider.com, the perception of emptiness during the majority of the event was due to the LED lighting in the venue. Sources within the company indicated that 25,000 tickets were sold for the show, but the lighting created an illusion of empty seats that did not match the actual attendance.
The broadcast presentation also failed to accurately reflect the crowd size.
Additionally, reports from fans who attended the event indicated that the arena appeared much fuller in person than on television. When the LED lights were turned off, it became clear that the venue was not as empty as it appeared during ring entrances and similar moments.
The report also noted that a company source stated that they did not plan to use these LED lights at their next event in Saudi Arabia, suggesting that production changes are likely, as the lighting affected the overall presentation of the show.
