Saudi Arabia to host SmackDown, new WWE PLE on back-to-back nights

Next month, WWE will be presenting shows from Saudi Arabia on back-to-back nights.

A video aired during WrestleMania 40 night two confirming that a WWE King & Queen of the Ring premium live event will be held in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25. The video also included the announcement that SmackDown will emanate from Saudi Arabia on Friday, May 24.

The city of Jeddah is hosting both shows.

This marks a change for WWE. In the past, SmackDown aired episodes that were taped a week in advance before the Saudi PLEs.

King & Queen of the Ring is a new WWE PLE name. The first King & Queen of the Ring event was originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2023 before WWE changed its plans.

The King of the Ring tournament is returning for the first time since 2021. This will be the first-ever Queen of the Ring, though a Queen’s Crown tournament did happen alongside King of the Ring in 2021. Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega were the winners of those tournaments.

Since 2018, WWE has regularly held events in Saudi Arabia as part of a deal with the Saudi government.

Here’s a look at WWE’s post-WrestleMania PLE schedule:

  • Saturday, May 4: Backlash (Lyon, France)
  • Saturday, May 25: King & Queen of the Ring (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
  • Saturday, June 15: Clash at the Castle (Glasgow, Scotland)
  • Saturday, July 6: Money in the Bank (Toronto, Canada)
  • Saturday, August 3: SummerSlam (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Saturday, August 31: Bash in Berlin (Berlin, Germany)