Published: 3 hours ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 16 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
WWE Crown Jewel is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 7, although plans may change after a sporting event postponement.
With tensions in Saudi Arabia having seen Riyadh airport under attack, a recent report noted that “at least 13 people were killed and more than 300 injured” in an attack earlier this month.
At the time of writing, the PLE is still scheduled to take place at Riyadh Season Stadium, with Roman Reigns facing Sami Zayn for the WWE Crown Jewel Championship, and Liv Morgan taking on Chelsea Green for the Women’s WWE Crown Jewel Championship.
Reports have since emerged that a major sporting event has been postponed, which was due to take place ahead of Crown Jewel:
The postponed event
Earlier this week, it was reported that Six Kings Slam, a major tennis event, had been postponed from October 21-24 to December 27-30, still placing it within Riyadh Season.
The 2025 edition of the event saw participants receive a participation fee of $1.5 million, with winner of the tournament gaining an extra $4.5 million.
This year’s event would have seen Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Learner Tien, and Alexander Zverez all compete in a line of the greats in tennis.
WWE Crown Jewel to be postponed?
Turki Al-Sheikh shared an official statement on the postponement of the Six Kings Slam, citing ‘logistical reasons’ in a post on X.
The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority would confirm the rescheduling, with the (translated) shared statement reading:
“The decision reflects Riyadh Season’s commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organizational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience.”
Such “organizational and logistical challenges” still likely exist when it comes to WWE Crown Jewel and bringing its stars, backstage, production and office crew to the region on November 7, let alone the wealth of equipment necessary to deliver a show. The situation in Saudi Arabia has also reportedly been a ‘big topic of conversation‘ behind-the-scenes in WWE.
As for postponing the event itself, broadcasters are still expecting a show to take place on that day, regardless of where it happens.
Two sides to the same coin
There are two sides to the same coin when it comes to the business relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Plans have been in place for WWE to run major events in the region, while the authorities are clearly aware of what is taking place at the current time.
The authorities no doubt have a responsibility when it comes to guests in their region, particularly with a business partnership of the nature of the one with WWE. By contrast, WWE also has a duty of care for those in its employ, regardless of the role that they play in the company.
As it stands, Crown Jewel will go ahead on November 7, with WrestleMania 43 also taking place in Riyadh in 2027.
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