WWE President Nick Khan has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to holding WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia — making it the first WrestleMania ever staged outside of North America — while addressing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has raised questions about the feasibility of the plan. Speaking at the SBJ CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, Khan confirmed the Saudi Arabia plans directly.
“We’re doing WrestleMania next year in Saudi. First time ever, WrestleMania will be outside the United States or Canada. We’ve had a big, fruitful partnership with them,” Khan said. He did not address contingency planning that has reportedly been underway in case the Middle East situation makes the Saudi Arabia venue untenable, nor was he asked about the upcoming Saudi Arabia premium live event planned for June. Khan characterized criticism surrounding WWE’s Saudi Arabia events as a “vocal minority,” reiterating that company decisions are driven by ratings, revenue, and relevancy.
Nick Khan Says WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales Are “Feeling Good” and Could Get Close to Last Year’s Record
On WrestleMania 42’s ticket situation, Khan acknowledged the slower pace compared to last year while expressing confidence in the final outcome. “We think it’s going to get close to that record, but fingers crossed,” he said, adding that even lower-priced tickets are being resold at higher rates on the secondary market — which he cited as evidence of continued consumer demand. The comments contrast with reporting from Dave Meltzer indicating ticket sales are running approximately 19.6% below the same point last year, though both observations can coexist given the distinction between primary and secondary market performance.
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