US Embassy in Riyadh Posts Statement Backing WWE Crown Jewel
Summary: The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh posted a statement on Nov. 6 calling WWE Crown Jewel "American sports diplomacy." The show is Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon ET, and WWE moved it indoors after attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The quick version
- The U.S. Embassy Riyadh posted the statement on its official X account on Friday, Nov. 6.
- It calls Crown Jewel "American sports diplomacy" and says the show is created, owned and produced by WWE.
- Crown Jewel is Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon ET, on the ESPN Unlimited app in the U.S. and on Netflix elsewhere, per F4W Online.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh posted a public statement on Friday, Nov. 6, the day before WWE Crown Jewel. We read the post on the embassy's X account, @USAinKSA. Fightful and F4W Online both reported it the same day.
What the embassy said
The post opens: "American sports diplomacy comes to Riyadh!" It goes on to say that "Crown Jewel is entirely created, owned, and produced by @WWE, a wholly American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut." It adds that "American sports entertainment exports create shared unforgettable experiences, strengthening the bonds between the American and Saudi people."
The post does not mention safety, security or the attacks on Saudi Arabia.
What else the embassy has posted this week
The embassy's pinned post is a security alert dated Nov. 3. It begins: "Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions." We read only the start of that alert on the account page, not the full text.
Where the show stands
F4W Online reports that WWE moved Crown Jewel from an outdoor stadium to an indoor venue after the attacks. The show is staying in Riyadh. Fightful lists the venue as ANB Arena. See our earlier story on the move and the full card.
Fightful lists these matches as of Nov. 6:
- Men's Crown Jewel Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn
- Women's Crown Jewel Championship: Liv Morgan vs. Chelsea Green
- Last Man Standing: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
- WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Vision (Bron Breakker and Austin Theory) (c) vs. Penta and Je'Von Evans
F4W Online also notes that TKO President Mark Shapiro said at a company town hall late last month that TKO would not hesitate to cancel events if there is danger or further escalation. SEScoops reports Shapiro said on the Nov. 4 earnings call that the risk to events in Saudi Arabia is minimal. Read our Shapiro story.
What to watch
We did not find a WWE response to the embassy's post in the reports we read. Crown Jewel starts at noon ET on Saturday.
Source: the U.S. Embassy Riyadh's own post on X, with Fightful and F4W Online for the card, the venue change and the Shapiro town hall remark. Nothing in this story is a rumor.
Sources
- U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA), post beginning "American sports diplomacy comes to Riyadh!", Nov. 6, 2026. https://x.com/USAinKSA
- U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA), pinned Security Alert: U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia, Nov. 3, 2026. https://x.com/USAinKSA
- Fightful (Andrew Thompson), "US Embassy Riyadh Issues Statement About WWE Crown Jewel", Nov. 6, 2026. https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/us-embassy-riyadh-issues-statement-about-wwe-crown-jewel/
- F4W Online (Joseph Currier), "US Embassy in Riyadh 'thrilled' for WWE Crown Jewel 2026", Nov. 6, 2026. https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/us-embassy-in-riyadh-thrilled-for-wwe-crown-jewel-2026/
- SEScoops (M Watson), "TKO President Says Saudi Will Still Pay Full Amount Even If WrestleMania 43 Is Relocated", Nov. 4, 2026 (for Shapiro's remarks on risk). https://www.sescoops.com/article/tko-president-mark-shapiro-says-saudi-will-still-pay-full-amount-even-if-wrestlemania-43-is-relocated
- WrestlingNews.com staff reporting: read the embassy's account page on Nov. 6 and compared it with two outlets. We have not contacted WWE or the embassy.
How we credit sources: Editorial standards.