TKO executive chair and CEO Ari Emanuel stated that WWE Crown Jewel remains scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while a dedicated internal team monitors the situation daily to evaluate potential relocation sites if regional security concerns escalate.
Daily Monitoring and Contingency Planning
Speaking on Fox News with Bret Baier, Emanuel addressed questions regarding whether the upcoming WWE pay-per-view would proceed as planned at Riyadh Season Stadium amid heightened regional warnings from the United States State Department. The State Department advised Americans in the Middle East to exercise increased vigilance following Houthi attacks targeting civilian airports within Saudi Arabia.
When asked directly if the promotion would pull the show from its intended venue, Emanuel confirmed the current status while acknowledging active contingency measures. “Right now, everything’s still set,” Emanuel said. He added that corporate operations remain unaffected in the immediate term, pointing to parallel events in the region. “This weekend coming up in Abu Dhabi, we have a UFC fight. We have in the middle of November a Frieze art show. So far, so good. Nothing’s been canceled.”
Evaluating Relocation Scenarios
Elaborating on government briefings and risk mitigation strategies, Emanuel outlined the scope of TKO’s internal oversight. “Yeah, we have a whole team kind of working on this, and kind of when—and if that doesn’t happen, where we can move it,” Emanuel said. “It’s a daily monitoring.”
Ari Emanuel confirms WWE Crown Jewel 2026 is still planned for Riyadh, and how they are preparing for the ongoing war situation.https://t.co/eTteNiw2AN
As of this writing, WWE has not announced any change to the event. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that a scheduled December 5 event in Riyadh remains on track, while the immediate focus turns to UFC 333 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, headlined by Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev.
Long-Term International Partnership Commitments
Beyond the upcoming autumn pay-per-view events, WWE maintains long-term commitments in the region, including a scheduled return for WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh in April 2027.
Executive leadership maintains that while relocation pathways are continuously mapped out by internal specialists, actual deployment of those backup venues depends entirely on day-to-day risk assessments leading up to the bell time.
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TKO CEO Ari Emanuel says WWE Crown Jewel is still scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/2PN6mScs68
