Turki Alalshikh ‘strikes $100m deal’ to take WrestleMania to unprecedented location
WrestleMania is going international.
The biggest event in WWE's annual calendar looks set to head overseas for the first time in history.
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While fans have long hoped 'The Showcase of the Immortals' would one day land in London, Turki Alalshikh has appeared to confirm Saudi Arabia will host WrestleMania in 2027.
The news has not been officially announced by WWE, but Alalshikh made the claim during a Snapchat live video on Wednesday, September 10.
"We are announcing that for the first time, WrestleMania will take place outside America," he said, per Fightful.
"WrestleMania will be coming to Saudi Arabia in 2027."
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Mike Johnson of PWInsider later confirmed Alalshikh's announcement is authentic, and that official confirmation is 'coming soon'.
What has Triple H said about taking WrestleMania overseas?
Should WWE confirm the news, it would mark a historic moment for the company.
Since its inception in 1985, WrestleMania has only ever been hosted in North America.
A total of 39 events have been held in cities across the United States, with the most recent in Las Vegas, and two have taken place in Canada.
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WWE Chief Creative Officer, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, has long teased the idea of WrestleMania going international.
"To answer the WrestleMania question, that's like the Super Bowl," he told the Daily Mail back in April.
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"So the process of that going other places, people don't understand the logistics of what that takes.
"Just going to Las Vegas, I can't tell you the logistical effort that takes. They'll be in the market for weeks setting up the set, people on the ground running stuff.
"So when that becomes international, the logistics become even harder. That's the challenge, but we're up for the challenge."
Why is WrestleMania heading to Saudi Arabia?
It will come as little surprise if Saudi Arabia is confirmed as the first international 'Mania location, given WWE's longstanding partnership with the Kingdom.
The company announced a 10-year strategic deal with the Ministry of Sport in 2018, and has since hosted numerous premium live events in both Riyadh and Jeddah.
WWE will take the Royal Rumble overseas for the first time in 2026, when it will be hosted in the Saudi capital next January.
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It stands to reason that WrestleMania won't be far behind, and according to reports, the Kingdom will pay a hefty price for the privilege.
Per Cultaholic Wrestling, the deal is 'believed to be in the region of $100 million' and will see Saudi Arabia host WrestleMania weekend, including SmackDown and Raw.
Will London ever host WrestleMania?
News of WrestleMania heading to Saudi Arabia in 2027, if made official, will spark further hope that it will one day land in the United Kingdom too.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has long expressed his hope of hosting in the capital.
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“I’d love for WrestleMania to come to London,” he said back in June.
“Triple H if you’re watching, we want WrestleMania to come to London.
"My message to the team there is that we wouldn’t just have a great weekend, we’d have a festival, of you know, legends in WrestleMania coming to London, current stars, but also future stars.
“It will open a completely new market for them as well.”
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WWE fans will now be waiting for an official WrestleMania announcement from WWE, but all signs are pointing to the showcase heading to the Middle East.
Beyond 2027, it could one day land in London too.