January is typically one of the most thrilling periods for WWE enthusiasts, with the Royal Rumble sparking anticipation for the road to WrestleMania. The 2026 Royal Rumble is set for January 31st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the nation’s first-ever "Big Five" premium live event. However, with just over a week remaining, Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer Newsletter feels this year’s event is generating less excitement than usual.
Meltzer noted that until the recent WWE Raw and SmackDown episodes, no official commitments had been made regarding the men’s or women’s matches. Currently, less than 25% of the men’s matches and just over 25% of the women’s matches have been confirmed. The event has seen minimal promotion, possibly due to the focus on the heavily promoted January 5th Raw episode and the January 24th Saturday Night’s Main Event. Meltzer suggests WWE delayed giving this event the promotion it deserved.
Factors like limited promotion, an earlier broadcast time owing to the time difference with Saudi Arabia (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT), and a general decline in interest compared to last year have led Meltzer to predict significantly lower viewership than the 2025 Royal Rumble, which was notable as the first WWE Pay-Per-View Event streamed live on Netflix. Nonetheless, Meltzer recognizes that with two SmackDown episodes and one Raw episode left before the event, plus the potential boost from Saturday Night’s Main Event, there could still be a last-minute surge in ratings.
Fan Take: WWE fans should pay attention to this Royal Rumble as it could signal a shift in how WWE handles international premium events and promotions. If viewership drops, WWE might need to rethink their marketing strategies to maintain global interest and momentum heading into WrestleMania.
