WWE Crown Jewel 2026 Still On For Riyadh As US Orders Diplomats And Families To Leave Saudi Arabia

WWE continues its Crown Jewel plans as security concerns grow across Saudi Arabia.© NDTV Library

The US State Department has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia, and this puts WWE's November 7 Crown Jewel event in Riyadh under fresh scrutiny. The order came after a series of attacks in the kingdom, including a reported drone strike at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam which killed at least one person and injured eight. Reuters cited US officials in its reporting on the order. Meanwhile, WWE keeps building toward Crown Jewel, with Roman Reigns set to face Sami Zayn and Liv Morgan scheduled to meet Chelsea Green in separate championship matches this November.

This is inaccurate. The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia only. Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The safety and security of Department personnel and their families remain our highest priority, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them.

— Tommy Pigott (@statedeptspox) October 21, 2026

US Departure Order Follows Deadly Attacks in Saudi Arabia

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed the order in a post on X.

He said non-emergency US government employees and their families were told to leave Saudi Arabia following sustained attacks by Yemen's Houthi forces on civilian targets.

But the security concerns goes beyond the airport attack in Dammam. Two people were also killed in a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil field.

Also, US diplomatic personnel are leaving parts of the region since recent months, as Iran launched attacks on US facilities after the joint US-Israeli strike on Tehran in February.

Four US officials told Reuters that American missions in other Gulf states would be ordering family members to leave too.

Pigott's public statement, though, only talked about the departure order for Saudi Arabia. It didn't announce changes at other diplomatic missions.

WWE Crown Jewel Plans Continue Despite Security Concerns

WWE is still building toward its November 7 show in Riyadh, and the company hasn't announced any change to the event in the supplied reporting.

The planned card has Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn and Liv Morgan vs. Chelsea Green, and the Crown Jewel Championship belts are kept in Riyadh year-round.

The money side of WWE's Saudi events is part of the picture also. Dave Meltzer reported that WWE is expected to receive around $50 million to $55 million for Crown Jewel.

WrestleMania 43 is scheduled for Riyadh in 2027 too, with a reported payment of approximately $150 million.

Then there is boxing. Saudi General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh addressed another major sporting event planned for the kingdom earlier in October.

He said Canelo Alvarez still intended to fight Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on October 31, adding: “Hard times reveal true friends.”

That fight and WWE's Crown Jewel show are separate events, but both remain part of Saudi Arabia's announced entertainment and sports calendar amid the security concerns. 

Two events, one kingdom, only a week apart. What happens next depends on WWE and the situation on the ground. Stay tuned for more updates.