WWE's trip to Arabia Saudí for Crown Jewel is starting to look less routine, and within the company there is already talk of what would happen if things get complicated. The show on November 7th is still scheduled in Riyadh, but WWE is debating the situation internally after the U.S. Department of State issued a level 3 warning ("Reconsider travel") for Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the company seems willing to hold an event on that date even if Riyadh is ultimately ruled out.
The Department of State warns Americans to reconsider traveling to Saudi Arabia due to threats related to Iranian drones and missiles, armed conflict, and terrorism. The country remains at level 3, while areas near the border with Yemen have the most severe warning, level 4 ("Do not travel"). This puts WWE in a delicate position with Crown Jewel just a few weeks away and a cast full of American talent expected to make the trip.
The issue came to light in the September 17th edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, when Bryan Alvarez asked Dave Meltzer about the travel situation to Saudi Arabia. Meltzer immediately connected it to Crown Jewel and recalled that WWE also has WrestleMania 43 booked in Riyadh for next year. "He advises not to travel to Riyadh. It's a warning... They fear attacks from Iran, and that's why the border with Yemen, which is about five hundred miles away, is off-limits for travel. In this case, it's basically a warning that it's unsafe for Americans to travel there. And that's the location for both WrestleMania next year and, most notably, the PPV on November 7th," he explained.
The official wording is not as extreme as Meltzer described it: Americans are asked to reconsider traveling to Saudi Arabia, not to completely avoid the entire country, but it is still a serious warning with WWE preparing to send talent and crew to Riyadh. Now, WrestleVotes has added the piece that makes this story much bigger. During WrestleVotes Radio, Joey Votes revealed that they directly asked a WWE source if the travel situation could change the plans for Crown Jewel. The source couldn't speak for those who would make the final decision, but confirmed that WWE is already discussing the matter internally.
This doesn't mean that Crown Jewel has been moved. Riyadh remains the destination right now, and WWE has not announced any cancellations, postponements, or backup locations. The really interesting part is what happens if Saudi Arabia becomes unviable. According to WrestleVotes, WWE is expected to hold an event on November 7th regardless of the location, because the company already has a commitment with ESPN locked in for that date. This means that WWE could have more options than just canceling Crown Jewel if travel conditions worsen.
"That being said, the source confirmed that the November 7th date is expected to be maintained and the event will take place regardless of the location, as WWE is committed to ESPN for that date. So the date seems set. The real question now is whether WWE can still send its talent and staff to Saudi Arabia on November 7th given the current travel warning," Joey added.
This is not the first time WWE has faced a scare with Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, another company event in the country was in doubt as tensions escalated in the Middle East. WWE was monitoring the situation before deciding if they could safely send their cast abroad. WWE President Nick Khan was quite clear then about the company's approach: "We will only go if it is safe or if we are allowed to be there. We are monitoring the situation internally with our security heads and externally with our government affairs team. If at this time U.S. citizens are allowed to enter and it is declared and considered safe, we will all go."
Saudi Arabia is not going to disappear from WWE's short-term plans. As previously reported, TKO COO Mark Shapiro said that Saudi Arabia continues to push hard for major WWE and UFC events, and WrestleMania 43 is already on its way to Riyadh in 2027.
For now, WWE is still packing for Saudi Arabia, and Crown Jewel remains on the agenda for November 7th. The difference now is that WWE is discussing the travel issue internally, the date itself seems secured by ESPN, and suddenly Riyadh could be the part of this equation with more room to maneuver if things worsen.
ES
US
