'Day After 9/11? ': Fans Blast WWE's Saudi Arabia WrestleMania Announcement And Question Why UK Was Snubbed

WWE dropped a major announcement recently that WrestleMania 43 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027. While WWE tried to frame it as a historic announcement, most fans did not see a reason to celebrate. Rather than celebrating, fans around the world have erupted in anger, raging at the timing of it and questioning why the UK was overlooked once again.

A historic choice that immediately sparked outrage

The announcement marked the first time WrestleMania will be held outside North America which is basically outside the US or Canada in case of the event. Even before the announcement was made, the news of it had leaked in the rumour mills and it was already not receiving good reactions. While in WWE's view, it was a moment of triumph, showcasing WWE's global ambitions and strengthening its lucrative yet controversial partnership with Saudi Arabia. Instead, it has provoked a storm of criticism by fans not just from the US but also from the UK.

WWE fans took to social media to trash the move, allegedly arguing that it was a decision driven entirely by money rather than tradition or loyalty to long term fanbases. Things went south fast as one viral post described the announcement as 'a cold day in hell', while another fan pointed out that the United Kingdom had been campaigning for years to host Wrestlemania and now they feel snubbed.

Timing that struck the wrong chord

Things got even worse as the choice of timing for the announcement made matters very uncomfortable. WWE revealed its plans just one day after the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. While international fans might not have made the connection, many US fans were horrified, insisting that the symbolism could not have been more insensitive than this. One fan summed up the prevailing mood by replying on X, 'Day after 9/11? Sickening'.

Others accused the company of showing complete disregard for history with the UK in its alleged rush to seal the big money deal with Riyadh. This move gave the impression of a company detached from the emotions of its global audience, something fans recently have complained against whether it be rising ticket prices or more expensive WWE experiences, further fuelling the backlash.

A bitter disappointment for UK fans

Nowhere was the disappointment of this move felt more deeply than in Britain it seems. British WWE fans have long argued that the country deserves its own WrestleMania. John Cena even teased the possibility of London hosting the event during Money in the Bank in 2023, a moment that raised hopes to fever pitch, and WWE doing its first WrestleMania outside North America not being in the UK made fans feel betrayed.

The response online was immediate and fierce, with comment sections under WWE posts filled with questions about why the UK was ignored with no official response from WWE as of this writing. Some fans pointed out that British crowds consistently sell out arenas. It is true as Wembley Stadium has a proven history of drawing record attendances especially for pro wrestling.

WWE Stars looked uncomfortable

The presentation of this historic announcement did little to help WWE as fans had a laugh riot observing WWE stars standing stoically behind Triple H. Wrestling icons including Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker were brought on stage to celebrate the announcement so were current stars including Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, Liv Morgan, Bianca Belair, Stephanie Vaquer as well as Logan Paul, but fans quickly noticed how awkward they appeared.

Clips circulated on social media showed strained smiles, robotic behaviour, which only reinforced the alleged perception that the decision was uncomfortable even for WWE wrestlers themselves. The official video of the announcement on WWE's YouTube channel reportedly received thousands of dislikes and was flooded with negative comments by fans.

What this means for the future of WWE

This Wrestlemania 43 controversy has left WWE walking a tightrope with fans. On one hand the Saudi deal represents enormous financial gains with some reports saying that WWE is being paid around £257 million ($350 million USD) for Wrestlemania in 2027 as well as the Royal Rumble that will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2026. On the other hand, the decision risks alienating some of the company's most loyal supporters and fanbases, especially in the UK where fans have invested decades of passion and money into the product.

Even though 2027 is far, the company faces a choice about how to rebuild trust with those fans who feel betrayed. For British fans in particular, patience is clearly wearing thin after the backlash seen with this announcement. They want more than teasers or vague promises. They want the WWE's biggest event to come to London and WWE should consider it too as the UK will also make them a lot of money.