King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh reopened on Sunday, three weeks before WWE Crown Jewel in the city, but many international airlines are still suspending flights there.
WWE has not announced any change to Crown Jewel, which is set for November 7 at Riyadh Season Stadium.
The airport had been closed after attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said Thursday that the airport had been targeted 20 times since the start of October, and that attacks between October 7 and 11 killed 17 people and injured 333.
Qatar Airways has not given a date to resume flights to Riyadh, and Emirates has Dubai-Riyadh flights listed starting October 20. Lufthansa has suspended Riyadh flights until November 18, Cathay Pacific until January 31, and Delta has pushed the launch of its Atlanta-Riyadh route from October 23 to March 2027. British Airways plans to return to Riyadh with one daily flight on November 3.
Two other major events in Riyadh have been moved or called off. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, scheduled for October 21 to 24, was postponed to December 27 to 30 for what organizers called “logistical reasons.” The UCI canceled the Urban Cycling World Championships, which were set for November 3 to 7.
Canelo Alvarez’s fight with Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Riyadh is still expected to go ahead. Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, said on X that Alvarez told him he would still fight.
Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens. He fears nothing.
My country is home to the two Holy Mosques, land of peace, safety, rich civilization, deep history, and kind-hearted people.
Thank you to everyone who checked in…
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) October 11, 2026
In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote that sources within WWE said Alalshikh’s post added pressure on TKO not to cancel its events in Riyadh.
“Sources within WWE concurred that tweet put even more pressure on TKO not to cancel its two planned shows. I can’t say everyone of course, but everyone that I have been in contact with after this past week would rather not go there right now,” Meltzer wrote. “In the past, going to Saudi Arabia was ‘optional,’ in a sense that one would not be punished financially for not going, but at times there have been people told if they voluntarily choose not to go, it’s fine, except they may have to drop championships or have pushes toned down.”
Meltzer reported last week that WWE was unhappy some non-wrestling employees had spoken about not wanting to travel for Crown Jewel. PWInsider reported that WWE has not discussed moving the show, and a WWE source denied a rumor that the company had a backup location in Europe. WrestleVotes said on Fightful Select that Crown Jewel “is going ahead as planned, but a backup venue in the US is ready if needed.”
