WWE made history last week by confirming that WrestleMania will take place outside of North America for the very first time. WrestleMania 43 in 2027 is set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The announcement came during a press event featuring WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, as part of the ongoing “Riyadh Season” initiative. While the move highlights WWE’s growing global ambitions, it has sparked widespread backlash among fans.

The press conference itself was held on September 11 but was closed to both media and the public. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this decision was directed by WWE’s parent company, TKO Group, who wanted to avoid fans booing the announcement and to prevent reporters from asking difficult questions, especially with international media already present in the city for a major boxing event.

This announcement further extends WWE’s long-running partnership with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, which began in 2018. Under a 10-year agreement, WWE has staged multiple premium live events in the kingdom each year. These shows generate massive revenue for the company but remain controversial due to ongoing criticism of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

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