Will WrestleMania 42 sign be at WWE Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh?
(Courtesy : WWE via Getty)
The Road to WrestleMania will kick off this Saturday!
With the new year underway, WWE is set to kick things off with its first Premium Live Event, the Royal Rumble. The event will officially begin the road to WrestleMania 42, as major storylines and feuds start to take shape.
The 39th edition will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season.
It marks the first traditional Royal Rumble ever held outside North America, the 14th WWE event hosted in Saudi Arabia under the company’s decade-long partnership supporting Saudi Vision 2030.
Additionally, it will be the second event in the country to include a Rumble match following the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018, and the first of WWE’s “Big Five” events to be staged there.
Ahead of the PLE, spy shots of a new, yet-to-be-named arena erected in record time at the King Abdullah Financial District have been widely shared across social media.
Among other details, eagle-eyed fans have been speculating whether the arena will feature the iconic WrestleMania signs, sparking plenty of buzz online. Here’s what we know so far about the arena and the presence of the iconic WrestleMania sign.
The tradition of hanging the WrestleMania sign started in 2004
Fans have noticed that, unlike traditional editions, this year’s Rumble setup doesn’t include physical WrestleMania signs, which have become a staple of WWE television on the Road to WrestleMania.
Many fans online have criticized the decision, noting that WWE will rely on LED screens again, similar to setups in 2019 and 2020. This time, however, the choice is likely practical: the stadium is an open-roof arena, and adding additional screens or banners would present logistical challenges, especially since the arena was constructed in record time.
While it might look bad or out of place in spy shots, once the sun sets and the arena comes alive, it likely won’t make a difference if the WrestleMania banner is just an LED screen. Although, for tradition’s sake, WWE should bring it back after Rumble on weekly shows and Elimination Chamber.
UPDATE: The WM 42 logo has arrived at the stadium and looks set to play its normal role after the Royal Rumble matches.
Significance of the WrestleMania sign
The WrestleMania sign is a huge, brightly lit sign featuring the current year’s WrestleMania logo, Mania 42 in this case. It is hoisted high above the arena, starting at the Royal Rumble, and remains a regular feature for shows leading up to the Mania PLE.
The sign marks the path to sports entertainment’s biggest event, traditionally acknowledged by Royal Rumble winners to declare their championship ambitions. The tradition began in 2008 when John Cena raised the sign after winning the Rumble, symbolizing his WrestleMania goal.
Over the years, the gesture has become a key moment in WWE storytelling, generating excitement and representing a superstar’s ultimate pursuit, with the sign itself growing larger and more iconic each year.
Stars declaring their intentions to face each other at WrestleMania also gesture toward the sign, conveying their message without saying a word. Over time, this gesture has become a universal language among fans.
When and where will the Royal Rumble 2026 take place?
The 39th edition will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season.
Will the iconic WrestleMania sign be present at the arena this Saturday?
No, as per the spy shots by fans near the arena, the setup only consists of two LED screens and seating arrangements, with no visible WrestleMania banner.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.