WWE held its 2026 Royal Rumble premium live event on Saturday, January 31, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During certain moments of the show, large sections of the stadium appeared completely empty.
According to PWInsider.com, the empty appearance of the stadium for most of the show was primarily due to the venue's LED lighting. Sources within the company indicated that 25,000 tickets were sold for the event; however, the lighting created an illusion of empty seats, which did not align with the actual attendance as seen on the broadcast.
The report also mentioned that fans who took photos inside the venue showed a much fuller arena than what was portrayed on television. When the LED lights were turned off, it became evident that the venue was not as empty as it seemed during ring entrances and other segments.
One source within the company stated that they do not plan to use those LED lights when they return to Saudi Arabia, as the production issues negatively impacted the overall presentation of the show.
https://t.co/cFmOQm8Hgp pic.twitter.com/I4LaaD7sch
— سوبر SUPER (@wrestlng) January 31, 2026
Looks packed at the Royal Rumble. The lights in the seats make it look like empty seats in some areas. pic.twitter.com/nuSQBi3pif
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) January 31, 2026
