Following the historic announcement that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reports have emerged downplaying speculation of an outright WWE sale to the nation. The rationale behind this assessment points to TKO’s current financial objectives and the significant challenge of talent retention for a Middle East-based operation.
According to a Fightful Select Q&A, TKO’s primary motivation for its partnership with Saudi Arabia is centered on debt reduction. A full sale of WWE would not align with this strategy, as the current arrangement allows the company to leverage lucrative site fees from events hosted in the Kingdom.
The report further highlights that a potential acquisition could create significant operational hurdles related to the roster. A key concern is that many members of the talent pool would be reluctant to work on a permanent basis in the Middle East, posing a major challenge to retaining top stars.
The confirmation of WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh for 2027 breaks a four-decade tradition of the event being held exclusively in the United States or Canada. The landmark agreement was announced by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Saudi GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh as a major component of the “Riyadh Season” initiative.