WWE Crown Jewel Set to Return to Riyadh in November

WWE is making its return to Saudi Arabia with the upcoming Crown Jewel event scheduled to take place in Riyadh on November 7. As part of Riyadh Season, the premium live event marks a return to the kingdom following last year's event in Perth, Australia.

Crown Jewel features championship matchups in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Last year's event saw Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Stephanie Vaquer claim victory as Crown Jewel Champions, earning titles crafted from 50 carats of diamonds.

First established in 2018, Crown Jewel was held annually in Riyadh until WWE moved the event to Australia for the first time last year. Its return highlights Saudi Arabia's increasingly prominent position on the WWE calendar, having already hosted two major events this year, including the Royal Rumble on January 31, which marked the first time the event was held outside North America. Roman Reigns secured the win in the men's Royal Rumble match, while Liv Morgan triumphed in the women's contest, securing championship opportunities at WrestleMania 42. Night_of_Champions subsequently returned to Riyadh's Kingdom Arena in June.

An even larger milestone approaches as Saudi Arabia prepares to host WrestleMania 43, WWE's premier annual event, in Riyadh next year. This will be the first time in the four-decade history of WrestleMania that the spectacle takes place outside North America.

WWE's partnership with the kingdom began in 2018 through a 10-year strategic agreement with Saudi Arabia's General Sports Authority. Since then, the country has hosted numerous major WWE showcases, including Crown Jewel, Night of Champions, Super ShowDown, King and Queen of the Ring, and the Greatest Royal Rumble. WrestleMania, however, brings an unprecedented scale, having originated in 1985 as an annual flagship event traditionally hosted in the US or Canada. The event has since expanded into a week-long series of programs featuring SmackDown, Raw, NXT, and various fan activities.

When WrestleMania 43 was announced last year, WWE's chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque expressed excitement about elevating the event to new heights in Riyadh, following years of discussing ambitions to take major events globally.