Royal Rumble 2026 Start Time in Different Time Zones: How to Watch Riyadh Event Live Worldwide

Royal Rumble 2026 start time details are now confirmed, and this year’s event is set to be one of the most globally accessible Royal Rumbles in WWE history.

For the first time ever, WWE is hosting the Royal Rumble outside North America, with the 2026 edition taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As the first Premium Live Event of 2026, Royal Rumble 2026 officially kicks off the Road to WrestleMania 42 and features both the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches, along with major championship bouts.

Below is everything fans need to know about the Royal Rumble 2026 start time, how to watch it live, streaming options by country, and why the timing is different this year. For complete details on Royal Rumble 2026, visit our hub.

When Is WWE Royal Rumble 2026?

The WWE Royal Rumble 2026 will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

• Event: WWE Royal Rumble 2026
• Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
• Venue: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Local Start Time (Riyadh): 10:00 PM AST

This timing has been carefully planned to suit global audiences, particularly viewers in North America and Europe.

WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Start Time by Time Zone

Here is the complete breakdown of the Royal Rumble 2026 start time across major regions worldwide.

North America

• Eastern Time (ET): 2:00 PM
• Central Time (CT): 1:00 PM
• Mountain Time (MT): 12:00 PM (Noon)
• Pacific Time (PT): 11:00 AM
• Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HAST): 9:00 AM

Europe

• United Kingdom (GMT): 7:00 PM
• Central European Time (CET): 8:00 PM
• Eastern European Time (EET): 9:00 PM

Middle East & Africa

• Saudi Arabia / AST: 10:00 PM
• UAE (GST): 11:00 PM
• Israel (IST): 9:00 PM
• South Africa (SAST): 9:00 PM

Asia

• India (IST): 12:30 AM (Sunday, February 1)
• Pakistan (PKT): 12:00 AM
• Singapore / Malaysia / Philippines: 3:00 AM
• China (CST): 3:00 AM
• Japan (JST): 4:00 AM
• South Korea (KST): 4:00 AM

Australia & New Zealand

• Australia (AWST – Perth): 3:00 AM
• Australia (ACDT – Adelaide): 5:30 AM
• Australia (AEDT – Sydney, Melbourne): 6:00 AM
• New Zealand (NZDT): 8:00 AM

South America

• Brazil (BRT): 4:00 PM
• Argentina (ART): 4:00 PM
• Chile (CLST): 4:00 PM
• Colombia (COT): 2:00 PM
• Mexico City (CST): 1:00 PM

This means UK fans get a rare prime-time Royal Rumble, while US viewers can watch during the afternoon.

How to Watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Live

A glance at how to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026 live across various places in the world.

How to Watch Royal Rumble 2026 in the United States

• Streaming platform: ESPN
• Plans: ESPN Select ($11.99/month) or ESPN Unlimited ($29.99/month)
• Some Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, DIRECTV and Spectrum TV subscribers may have access included.

This marks the first Royal Rumble broadcast on ESPN following the end of WWE’s Peacock deal.

How to Watch Royal Rumble 2026 Internationally

• UK, Canada, India, Australia, most countries: Netflix
• Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria: WWE Network
• Japan: Abema
• Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport

A valid subscription is required in all regions to access the live broadcast and replays.

WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Match Card (Confirmed)

The Royal Rumble 2026 match card includes:

• Men’s Royal Rumble Match – Winner earns a World Championship match at WrestleMania 42
• Women’s Royal Rumble Match – Winner earns a Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 42
• Drew McIntyre (c) vs TBD – Undisputed WWE Championship
• AJ Styles vs Gunther – Career-on-the-line match in Royal Rumble 2026

The challenger for Drew McIntyre will be determined in a Fatal Four-Way match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 25.

Confirmed Royal Rumble 2026 Entrants (So Far)

WWE has already confirmed several major names for both Royal Rumble matches.

Men’s Royal Rumble (Confirmed Entrants)

Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Penta, Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and others.

Women’s Royal Rumble (Confirmed Entrants)

Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Asuka, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, Jordynne Grace, Giulia and more.

See here for more details on the confirmed Royal Rumble 2026 entrants for men’s and women’s events.

How Long Is WWE Royal Rumble 2026?

WWE Premium Live Events typically run three to four hours.

Given that Royal Rumble 2026 includes:

• Two Royal Rumble matches
• Multiple championship bouts

Fans should expect the event to run close to four hours.

For viewers in ET, the show is likely to end around 6:00 PM.

Why Is the Royal Rumble 2026 Start Time Different?

WWE scheduled a 10:00 PM local start time in Riyadh specifically to accommodate Western audiences.

Previous Saudi events like Crown Jewel usually began earlier in the day for US viewers. However, because the Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s “Big Five” events, the later local start allows:

• Prime-time viewing in the UK and Europe
• Afternoon viewing in North America

For UK fans in particular, the 7:00 PM GMT start time makes Royal Rumble 2026 one of the most accessible editions ever.

The Royal Rumble 2026 start time makes this event uniquely fan-friendly across multiple regions. UK viewers avoid late-night viewing, US fans get a weekend afternoon show, and international audiences can plan ahead with predictable timing.

With WrestleMania 42 implications on the line, Royal Rumble 2026 is positioned as a truly global WWE event.

For complete coverage of WWE’s next premium live event, visit our Royal Rumble 2026 hub for updates on match cards, entrants, predictions and results.

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