WWE unhappy with staff concerns over travelling to Saudi Arabia ahead of Crown Jewel
WWE has expressed disquiet after reports that some of its staff publicly voiced reluctance to travel to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, which is scheduled to be held in Riyadh on November 7, 2026; the Stanford-based company continues to advertise the event. Reports name champion versus champion matches — Roman Reigns against Sami Zayn and Liv Morgan against Chelsea Green — among the billed attractions for the Premier Live Event.
The promotion has confirmed the date and venue as Riyadh Season Stadium in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, while internal debate about travel safety has surfaced. Despite those internal concerns, WWE has not altered the advertised plans for the Riyadh show and is publicly maintaining the scheduled staging.
Journalist Dave Meltzer told the host of Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE executives were disappointed that some non-wrestling employees had spoken publicly about their unwillingness to travel to Saudi Arabia. On the show, Meltzer said WWE wanted to present a unified front for the event.
Social media carried rumours that certain WWE employees were hesitant to make the trip, but those reports "cannot be independently verified" because WWE has not issued any statement on employee concerns. Meltzer also said there were no wrestlers who openly expressed disagreement with travelling to Saudi Arabia, and "These remarks were personal assumptions of the journalist."
Security worries cited in coverage include a United States Department of State travel warning that Saudi Arabia should be considered under a "Reconsider Travel" level three advisory because of armed conflict, terrorist activities, and threats of drone and missile attacks. The advisory additionally pointed out risks to commercial flights, and Reuters reported recent missile attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport that led to many casualties and raised questions about security preparedness.
WWE has not announced any change of venue, and while there has been talk of an alternative United States site, no formal arrangement or official confirmation of a backup location has been made public. The company has been described as facing a difficult choice about whether to discuss contingency plans publicly or proceed without addressing travel concerns.
As of updates on October 16, Crown Jewel 2026 remains scheduled for Riyadh on November 7, 2026, and WWE has made no official statement about a possible backup venue, though rumours suggest a U.S. location could be considered.