WWE announced Monday that Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the 2026 Royal Rumble.

This is the first time the legendary event will be staged outside of North America.

"WWE is a global enterprise and it only made sense to expand our relationship with the Kingdom by bringing one of our biggest annual events to Riyadh in January of 2026," WWE president Nick Khan said.

WWE first began holding live events in Saudi Arabia in 2013 and its presence in the country has only grown over the ensuing decade. The two sides announced in 2018 that they extended their formal partnership for a total of 10 years.

In 2024 alone, Saudi Arabia hosted King and Queen of the Ring and Crown Jewel along with one episode each of Raw and SmackDown.

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, told ESPN's Mike Coppinger in May he was hopeful of landing either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.

WrestleMania is WWE's tentpole event every year, while the Royal Rumble, which started in 1988, remains one of the promotion's most anticipated shows since it helps to set the table for the "Showcase of the Immortals."

Beyond its growing presence in Saudi Arabia, WWE has made a concerted effort to increasingly shift its premium live events abroad. Over the last year, it also held PLEs in Australia, France, Scotland, Canada and Germany.

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