WWE’s 2026 Royal Rumble is shaping up to be a massive spectacle—but it might come with a major change that fans won’t be thrilled about. It’s that time of year again, as WWE gears up for the first PLE of 2026. Royal Rumble 2026 will officially kick off the Road to WrestleMania 42. The 39th installment is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, and will be held at King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season.

Multiple big names, including Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Iyo Sky, Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, and Oba Femi, among others, are being advertised for the show. As usual, the winners of the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches will earn the right to choose which championship they want to challenge for at WrestleMania 42. Apart from the Rumble matches, WWE has announced two high-stakes clashes, including a title match and a career-threatening match. Alvarez revealed that WWE is struggling with the logistics of sneaking surprise participants into the country without tipping off fans. Instead, WWE may be shifting their strategy. Alvarez explained that the company is planning shows in Montreal the week prior—including SmackDown and Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 24—and that any surprises WWE has in store could happen there instead. The Women’s Royal Rumble will also feature a stacked field of top stars and former Champions, battling it out for a chance to headline WrestleMania and battle the Champion of their choosing after winning the match this Saturday. Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre is set to defend his title for the first time against the winner of last week’s Fatal Four-Way on SNME, Sami Zayn. Sami has been unable to defeat McIntyre in their previous meetings, and the Champion is looking to continue this trend. On the other hand, Zayn is aiming not only to capture his first WWE World Title but also to secure his first victory over the Scottish Warrior. In the most highly anticipated showdown, ‘The Ring General’ Gunther will take on ‘The Phenomenal’ AJ Styles in a rematch with major implications. Gunther has baited Styles into putting his career on the line for this match. Amid major confusion and speculations, fans are waiting to see if Styles manages to beat Gunther or if he has to bid farewell to the WWE universe this Saturday. Oba Femi has been heavily promoted to arrive at the main roster since he relinquished the NXT Championship at the start of the year. He could make his debut as a surprise entrant in the Men’s Rumble this year and take it one step further with a dominant yet surprise victory to head to the main event of WrestleMania 42. Penta has been a captivating force of nature since his WWE debut in 2025. The masked luchador is highly popular and has a great in-ring acumen, which could take him all the way to a Rumble match victory this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ‘The Megastar’ LA Knight has been regarded as one of the top talents with the potential to become a main event star. The Megastar is yet to grab the brass ring to ascend to the next level. That could come at the expense of winning the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble and earning a title shot at WrestleMania in Las Vegas this year.