WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings teased through its president and CEO Mark Shapiro at the Goldman Sachs conference on Tuesday that the company wants to hold more events in the Middle East. It’s WWE WrestleMania 43! already off to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next yearalthough the exact date or timings of the event have not been revealed.
Shapiro said. Via Investing.comthat “despite what is happening” in the Middle East, and “how long” it may continue, presumably referring to ongoing tensions in many countries, the Middle East is “open for business.” He said the region wants to bring more live events to the region to show the world that tourism remains open.
“We may actually announce a few more (events) this year,” Shapiro said. “That’s how much demand we’re seeing and I think that’s ultimately the headline when it comes to TKO and where we sit in the sports entertainment ecosystem. Demand outstrips supply.”
Besides WrestleMania next year, WWE Crown Jewel is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in November. Two UFC events will take place in Abu Dhabi in October and Qatar in November.
WWE announced its initial partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Sports in 2014. In 2019, the company revealed that it had extended its partnership with the General Entertainment Authority through 2027. The updated agreement called for several large-scale events in the kingdom each year. It 2026 Royal Rumble took place from Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District.
