The U.S. State Department has ordered non-emergency government employees and their family members out of Saudi Arabia, and TKO’s Riyadh calendar hasn’t moved. As of Sunday, October 25, WWE Crown Jewel was still scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh. An X post from @EliteClubS0B noted that upcoming UFC events in the city also remain on the books. A Sportskeeda report put a price on the risk. It said TKO faces roughly $90 million in losses if its WWE and UFC events in the Kingdom are canceled.
The departure order took effect October 23. Two days later, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a new security alert, reported by Fightful, that explained the decision. According to the alert, Iranian-supported Houthis have carried out hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure. Those attacks have caused civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions, and the embassy warned the fighting could escalate rapidly beyond the immediate area. After missile and UAV strikes on the Kingdom’s airports, U.S. government staff working in the country now need special authorization from the Chief of Mission to use any Saudi airport.
Getting In and Out
For any event that depends on flying in athletes, crews and equipment, the airport picture is the whole story. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh announced a partial reopening on October 25. It is handling domestic flights and some international routes run by national carriers. A limited number of flights normally based there are operating out of Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim instead. King Abdulaziz International in Jeddah and King Fahd International in Dammam are both open, though each is dealing with delays and cancellations.
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The embassy’s guidance to American citizens was direct: “Please take extreme caution if you choose to use airports in Saudi Arabia.” It told travelers to confirm departure status with their airline and the airport before heading out, and to expect possible attacks on airports, airspace closures and canceled flights.
None of the reports named the specific UFC cards or fighters involved. They also didn’t say whether TKO has held talks with Saudi partners about moving or postponing anything. For now, the only date on the record is Crown Jewel’s.
My quick take: a $90 million figure is the kind of number that keeps a show on the schedule longer than it probably should stay there, and I understand the math. But the people who actually have to land in Riyadh are the fighters, the coaches hauling the stool and bucket, the cutmen, and the production crews. None of them get to make this call from an office. When Washington is sending its own families home and its staff need permission to board a plane, TKO owes everyone on those cards a straight answer before anyone packs a bag. Crown Jewel was 13 days out when the embassy’s alert went up. Watch King Khalid International between now and November 7.
