TKO Says WrestleMania 43 Still On Track For Saudi Arabia

TKO Group Holdings says WrestleMania 43 remains on schedule to take place in Saudi Arabia despite swirling questions about whether the event could be moved elsewhere.

During the company’s third-quarter 2026 earnings call, TKO president Mark Shapiro addressed speculation about relocating the show, which is currently planned for April 2027. Shapiro acknowledged that ongoing global conflict is a factor companies like TKO have to monitor, but he maintained that, as of now, WrestleMania 43 is still set to go forward as planned in the kingdom.

The update comes after months of chatter within the wrestling industry about whether WWE’s flagship event would actually be staged in Saudi Arabia, a plan that was first revealed as part of WWE’s broader, lucrative partnership with the Saudi government’s General Entertainment Authority. That relationship has already brought numerous premium live events to the country, including multiple editions of Crown Jewel and Elimination Chamber, but WrestleMania represents an entirely different scale of commitment — both financially and symbolically — given its status as pro wrestling’s biggest annual showcase.

Moving WrestleMania outside the United States for the first time in its history was always going to be a lightning rod. The event has long served as a tentpole for WWE’s domestic business, driving tourism, merchandise sales, and local economic impact for whichever North American city hosts it. Shifting that spectacle overseas — to a country that has faced sustained criticism over human rights issues and where previous WWE shows have been criticized for excluding women’s matches in the past — was bound to generate scrutiny well before a single match is announced.

Shapiro’s comments on the earnings call suggest TKO is trying to project stability to investors and fans alike, even as the geopolitical backdrop remains unpredictable. Earnings calls are where TKO leadership typically lays out the financial logic behind its biggest strategic bets, and the Saudi partnership has been framed internally as one of the company’s most valuable revenue streams, with site fees reportedly dwarfing what WWE could command from traditional North American markets.

Still, the fact that TKO felt compelled to specifically address relocation questions indicates the topic isn’t going away quietly. Wrestling fans and media have speculated for months about contingency plans, and Shapiro’s remarks about global instability being a consideration — even while insisting the show remains on track — leave the door open, at least rhetorically, to future changes if circumstances shift dramatically.

For now, the company’s official position is clear: WrestleMania 43 is staying put in Saudi Arabia. Whether that holds through the next several months of planning, ticket sales, and talent logistics is something PW Exclusive will continue tracking as more details emerge from WWE and TKO in the lead-up to April 2027.