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Conflicting Reports Emerge Over WWE Crown Jewel Relocation

Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn will face each other for the 2026 Men's Crown Jewel Championship, but will that match be held in Saudi Arabia?
Rick Ucchino|
Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn
Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn | WWE

With Money in the Bank now in the rearview mirror, WWE is full steam ahead to Crown Jewel on Saturday, November 7.

It was confirmed Monday night on WWE Raw that the annual Premium Live Event will be taking place as scheduled, but it is unclear whether the show will still take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

There is currently a level three travel advisory for those heading to Saudi Arabia, with the most recent military escalation in the Middle East targeting the airport in Riyadh. This is the same deadly attack that was the subject of Max Caster's rap at TNA Bound for Glory that ultimately ended his brief tenure with the company.

After shifting to Perth, Australia, in 2025, Crown Jewel is currently scheduled to return to Riyadh next month. The first matches for the show were announced Monday night, with World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, WWE Champion Sami Zayn, Women's World Champion Liv Morgan and WWE Women's Champion Chelsea Green battling it out for their respective Crown Jewel Championships.

But where will those matches take place?

The insiders at TRNBCKL reported Tuesday morning that WWE is now expecting to move Crown Jewel due to the threat level in the Middle East, but they did not name a backup location. Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer followed up by saying that the company does have a backup in the U.S. on the table, but as of this writing, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is still hosting the show.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider, meanwhile, is reporting that neither WWE nor parent company TKO have had any discussions about moving Crown Jewel out of Saudi Arabia.

"The company has regular conversations with not only the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but also a private security firm who they contract and are experts in the region. They will not do anything without that firm giving them the affirmative," Johnson wrote. "One WWE source denied the company has locked in a back-up location in Europe, which was a rumor making the rounds."

A final decision on whether to move the show will need to be made in the very near future, with Crown Jewel now just a little over three weeks away. We'll continue to keep you updated as new information becomes available.

Current WWE Crown Jewel card (announced):

Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns | WWE
  • 2026 Men's Crown Jewel Championship: World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. WWE Champion Sami Zayn
  • 2026 Women's Crown Jewel Championship: Women's World Champion Liv Morgan vs. WWE Women's Champion Chelsea Green
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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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