As tensions continue to rise amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, WWE's decision to push forward with plans to host Crown Jewel 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has caused controversy.

Several Superstars have reportedly made it clear that they do not feel comfortable travelling to the region, to the point that WWE was forced to address their concerns in a company-wide meeting earlier this week.

WWE executive Mark Shapiro stressed that the safety of everyone making the trip was "paramount" to the company.

Despite this, there remains a growing sentiment that WWE should move the show away from Saudi Arabia.

Officials Abandon Half-Finished Stadium Ahead of WWE Crown Jewel

The show hit the headlines again earlier this week after the venue in which it is due to be held was changed, with limited details being offered as to why.

Crown Jewel was originally set to take place inside the purpose-built Riyadh Season Stadium, which would have seated 30,000 fans. Images circulating on social media show that construction work was well underway. Production work was so far advanced that the stage had already been fully assembled.

On Wednesday, though, organisers released a brief statement which read:

"We would like to inform you that "WWE Crown Jewel" has been moved to a new venue. All ticket holders will receive a full refund, and tickets will be re-released to everyone within the next 48 hours."

'Real Reason' WWE Crown Jewel Relocated

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has now revealed the real reason behind the sudden change of venue to the city's Kingdom Arena and it makes for uncomfortable reading.

"They were building a stadium, Riyadh Season Stadium. It was outdoors and the WWE show was going to be there. They announced a move. I don't even know if it's been officially announced, but they're moving to Kingdom Arena, which is the same building that the Canelo Alvarez fight on Saturday is going to be held.

"Some people, when it was first announced, thought something big was up, but essentially, the claim is that it is safer to run the show indoors than outdoors, which makes all the sense in the world," Meltzer said. "So they're going to move the show indoors."

That organisers would scrap all the work that had already been carried out on the stadium in favour of a move to an arena illustrates the gravity of the situation.

This was backed up on Thursday evening when citizens of Riyadh received an Emergency Warning Alert, stating that the city was under "hostile aerial threat".

It read: "Warning. City of Riyadh is under a hostile aerial threat. Please remain calm, stay indoors or in a safe place away from windows and doors, and follow the instructions of Civil Defense."

For now, WWE Crown Jewel remains set to take place in Riyadh as planned. The card will feature Roman Reigns vs Sami Zayn and Liv Morgan vs Chelsea Green with Crown Jewel Championships on the line, as well as Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton.