Every year when WrestleMania season kicks into high-gear with the build-up to WWE Royal Rumble, the pro wrestling news cycle is generally filled with rumors about surprise returns as entrants in the 30-man and 30-woman over-the-top-rope battle royal matches.
That might not be the case next year.
Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com is reporting that WWE could face a unique challenge when it comes to delivering the kind of surprise moments fans have come to expect from the Royal Rumble due to the event being held in Saudi Arabia in 2026.
With the 2026 Royal Rumble set to take place in Riyadh this coming January, Alvarez noted that pulling off surprise appearances on that show may prove difficult because of travel and logistical complications associated with flying talent in secretly.
“There is a feeling that we might not get [WWE] Royal Rumble surprises [next] year if only for the fact that sneaking people into Saudi Arabia will be a lot harder,” Alvarez noted. “Most likely surprises would take place the week prior at [WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event].”
As Alvarez referenced, WWE recently confirmed that they will return to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, for a January edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event to kick off 2026, scheduled just one week before the Royal Rumble weekend.
That event could serve as a more feasible spot for WWE to execute unannounced appearances or storyline twists that might otherwise have been saved for the Rumble itself.
Traditionally, both the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches have featured a number of surprise entrants, ranging from returning legends to debuting stars and cross-promotional appearances
For example, the most recent Rumble delivered several notable shockers, including the returns of Alexa Bliss and Trish Stratus, an appearance from streamer iShowSpeed, TNA Wrestling star Joe Hendry, and Jordynne Grace.
If you are looking for more spoilers, news updates and rumors regarding next year’s WWE Royal Rumble Riyadh premium live event, WrestlingHeadlines.com is the place to be! Read the following article here on the website: WWE Royal Rumble 2026: Date, Location, Streaming, Rumored Matches & Everything You Need To Know
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com in January of 2026 for the best live WWE Royal Rumble Riyadh Results coverage on the web!
