The new year has begun and the 2026 Royal Rumble has arrived to start the most exciting time in wrestling, leading up to WWE’s flagship event. The titular matches will take place with the men’s and women’s bouts, with each winner earning a championship opportunity at WrestleMania 42. Which surprises will be in store and who rises to superstardom?
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Other high stakes matches are in order, including Drew McIntyre’s first WWE title defense and AJ Styles putting his career on the line against Gunther.
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When is WWE Royal Rumble 2026?
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 is on Saturday, Jan. 31.
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 start time
The 2026 Royal Rumble begins at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. The preshow begins at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.
Where is WWE Royal Rumble 2026?
The event will take place in a newly constructed venue in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It begins at 10 p.m. local time in Saudi Arabia.
How to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026
Royal Rumble 2026 will stream on ESPN's streaming service. Viewers can sign up for a subscription to the site here, which starts at $29.99 a month.
ESPN's service is available through select cable and TV packages, including:
DIRECTV
Fubo TV
Hulu + Live TV
Spectrum
Verizon FiOS
If your cable or TV package includes the ESPN streaming service, you can figure out how to activate it here. The event will also be shown at select movie theaters nationwide.
Internationally, the Royal Rumble will be available on Netflix in most markets.
WWE Royal Rumble preshow: How to watch
The 2026 Royal Rumble preshow will be available to watch on ESPN, as well as WWE social platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 match card
Matches not in order
Men's Royal Rumble match
Women's Royal Rumble match
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Career threatening match: Gunther vs. AJ Styles (if Styles loses, he must retire)fg