Fans on social media are calling out WWE for allegedly exaggerating attendance numbers for the Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia.
The 2026 Royal Rumble is currently underway at Riyadh Season Stadium. During the opening match, Michael Cole claimed there was a capacity crowd in attendance for the show.
However, photos from the event appeared to tell a different story. In several images circulating online, large sections of the stadium look empty. The LED lighting used during entrances may have made things worse by highlighting areas of the venue with few or no fans.
“THE STADIUM IS SO EMPTY FOR THE ROYAL RUMBLE. WHAT’S GOING ON,” one fan wrote on social media.
Another user suggested the lighting setup may have created a misleading visual. “I think it’s LEDs,” they wrote.
“They just turn off and you can see that it’s empty af,” another fan quipped.
Despite the complaints, it’s worth noting that there are fans in the areas near the LEDs. The lighting might have been a poor design choice, as wide arena shots make the stadium look empty.
The actual attendance figures are unknown at the time of this writing. Riyadh Season Stadium was reportedly built on what was previously a parking lot and transformed into a multi-purpose venue for the WWE Royal Rumble. According to posts on social media, the stadium was set up in a matter of days.
Check out some of the reactions below:
WrestleZone’s live coverage of the WWE Royal Rumble is ongoing here.
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