WWE Royal Rumble 2026: where to watch, match card, start time

WWEThe Royal Rumble is one step closer to launching the Road to Wrestlemania. The January 31 event is already poised to be epic, but what makes this year’s Royal Rumble even more noteworthy is the fact that it will be held, for the first time ever, outside of North America and in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The professional wrestling battle royale game is hitting the world stage with a tremendous amount of hype. Whoever wins the men’s and women’s 30-person Royal Rumble matches will earn a shot at the World Championship belt of their choice at Wrestlemania 42. Last year’s Rumble saw Jey Uso emerge as the victor, eclipsing him. John Cena In the process, he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Gunther.

This year, it’s anyone’s game. Although rumors are swirling regarding Roman Reigns’ involvement and whether Chris Jericho will return to WWE since his contract with AEW expires in 2025. The match I’m most excited for is AJ Styles vs. Gunther. After defeating Gunther Cena during his final match in December, Styles set his eyes on putting the overall ring in place. Will this rematch result in The Phenomenal One winning, or will he be forced to retire earlier than planned?

What should viewers expect this time from the Premium Live event? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the 39th annual WWE Championship Royal Rumble.

Read more: ESPN Unlimited review: Best for collectors and ESPN fans

Royal Rumble 2026 match card

Here are the confirmed matches for WWE Royal Rumble 2026:

• Drew McIntyre vs. TBA for the WWE Championship (challenger to be determined on January 24 in Saturday night’s main event)
• AJ Styles vs. Gunter (If Styles loses, he must retire from in-ring competition)
• Men’s Royal Rumble match
• Women’s Royal Rumble match

So far, 15 of the 60 competitors have been announced for the Royal Rumble. As of writing this article, the latest episodes of SmackDown, Saturday Night’s Main Event, and Monday Night RAW have not yet aired. We’ll have more names soon, and I’ll update the contenders list below accordingly.

Confirmed contenders for the men’s Rumble:

• Cody Rhodes
• Gunther
• J Owusu
• Rey Mysterio
• The dragon is mine
• Girl

Confirmed competitors for the Women’s Rumble:

• Rhea Ripley
• And the sky
• Liv morgan
• Roxanne Perez
• Raquel Rodriguez
• Bailey
• Asuka
• Lyra Valkyrie
• Kairi Sane

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WWE Royal Rumble 2026 start date and time

The 39th Royal Rumble match will take place on Saturday, January 31st at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT. If the start time seems unusually early, that’s because the featured live event will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Where will WWE Royal Rumble 2026 be held?

This year’s Royal Rumble match is scheduled to take place at the King Abdullah Financial Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

How to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026 in the United States

You can watch this year’s Royal Rumble and all major WWE Premium Live events on the ESPN app. Pre-show coverage is scheduled to begin at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT. To access the event, you’ll need to subscribe to ESPN’s unlimited plan.

How to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026 outside the United States

While US Netflix subscribers won’t be able to watch WWE Royal Rumble, global subscribers can access the event live on their streaming device.

Fans in countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and the UK will be able to tune into the Rumble live – meaning some viewers will watch it at midnight.