WWE is moving ahead with Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 7, although more airlines have suspended service to the country, other major events have been postponed, and some WWE employees reportedly remain unhappy about making the trip.
Fightful Select reported Sunday that multiple wrestlers and staff members are upset with the decision to continue preparations. WWE has remained in contact with Saudi officials, but there has been no indication that the event will be moved.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport resumed limited operations Sunday after repeated missile and drone attacks attributed to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Airlines, however, continue to cancel flights, including some extending well beyond Crown Jewel.
The National reported that Emirates has suspended service to Riyadh and Dammam through November 7. Air France has canceled Riyadh flights through November 14, Lufthansa through November 18, Philippine Airlines through November 29, and Cathay Pacific through January 31, 2027.
Etihad Airways has canceled flights to Riyadh and Dammam through November 5. British Airways plans to resume limited service to Riyadh on November 3.
Delta Air Lines has delayed the start of its planned nonstop service from Atlanta to Riyadh until March 2027. Those flights had been scheduled to begin October 23.
Air India and Air India Express have canceled service to Riyadh and other Saudi destinations through November 7. Akasa Air has suspended its Riyadh flights through November 30, according to PWMania.
KLM, Oman Air, SalamAir, and IndiGo have canceled flights through the end of October. Air Arabia has suspended service to several Saudi cities without announcing when flights will resume.
The suspensions do not amount to a complete shutdown of Saudi air travel, but they have reduced the options for people traveling to Riyadh in the days leading up to Crown Jewel.
TKO Group Holdings CEO and Executive Chair Ari Emanuel addressed the situation during an appearance on Fox News last week.
“Right now, everything is still set,” Emanuel said. “So far, so good. Nothing’s been canceled.”
Emanuel said a team at TKO is reviewing conditions daily and looking at possible alternative venues. He did not say where Crown Jewel might be moved or what would have to happen before the company makes that decision.
The latest problems come after DMV Wrestling News reported October 17 on concerns among WWE personnel about traveling to Saudi Arabia following attacks on King Khalid International Airport.
An October 10 strike killed at least 13 people, including an American, and injured more than 300. An additional attack on October 21 targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory October 23, ordering nonemergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia. The country remains under a Level 3 advisory, with Americans urged to reconsider travel.
The department cited missile and drone attacks, terrorism, and the possibility of further escalation. Its warning identifies airports, hotels, transportation hubs, entertainment venues, and large gatherings as potential targets.
Australia is advising its citizens not to travel to Saudi Arabia at all. Its travel advisory also specifically warns against using King Khalid International Airport and tells Australians already in the country to be prepared to shelter in place.
Several organizations have decided not to proceed with events in Saudi Arabia as scheduled.
The Future Investment Initiative conference, sometimes called “Davos in the Desert,” was supposed to begin Monday in Riyadh. It has been postponed until 2027. Semafor reported that Wall Street executives had raised concerns about security with Saudi officials before the decision.
The United Nations World Data Forum, scheduled for November 9-12, and the Second Saudi Statistical Forum have also been postponed until next year. Organizers did not specifically cite the security situation. Other affected business events include Intersec Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Retail Forum.
The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition has been moved to December 27-30, while the Saudi International golf tournament has also been postponed.
The UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, scheduled for November 3-7 in Riyadh, were canceled after Australia withdrew because of safety concerns. The FIFAe Finals 2026 esports competition in Jeddah has also been postponed.
Canceling Crown Jewel would also have financial implications for WWE and its parent company.
Sports Illustrated reported, citing Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, that TKO could face a reduction of $70 million to $90 million in quarterly profits if three upcoming events, Crown Jewel and two UFC shows, do not take place as scheduled. Meltzer estimated that the combined amount represents roughly a quarter of TKO’s quarterly profits.
POST Wrestling reported that Crown Jewel alone contributes approximately $45 million to $50 million to TKO’s fourth-quarter financial results.
WWE has held events in Saudi Arabia under a lucrative agreement dating to 2018. Riyadh is also scheduled to host WrestleMania 43 in 2027, the first WrestleMania outside North America. TKO has expanded its Saudi business interests through boxing and other entertainment projects.
The relationship has drawn criticism since WWE continued holding events in Saudi Arabia following the October 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul. A later U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi. He has denied ordering the murder.
There are reportedly backup plans for Crown Jewel if conditions in Riyadh worsen. WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select previously reported that a venue in the United States was available as an alternative. PWInsider reported that WWE is working with a security firm familiar with the Middle East and North Africa.
Concerns among WWE personnel surfaced well before the latest Fightful report. Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live previously said some wrestlers were reluctant to travel to Saudi Arabia. Production employees also reportedly expressed concerns on social media, receiving an unfavorable response from WWE management.
Our October 17 report raised a related issue: whether production crews and other employees have the same ability as WWE’s biggest stars to refuse an assignment over safety concerns.
Crown Jewel is scheduled for Riyadh Season Stadium. The announced card includes World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns against WWE Champion Sami Zayn, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan against WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green, and Cody Rhodes against Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match.
As of Monday, October 26, Crown Jewel remains scheduled for Riyadh, with less than two weeks until the event and no announced changes to WWE’s plans.