WWE is reportedly maintaining contingency plans for WrestleMania 43 should circumstances require the company to move the event from its expected international destination back to North America. However, one Las Vegas venue that has drawn considerable speculation, The Sphere, is not believed to be under active consideration as a backup location at this time.
The situation has gained attention as WWE prepares for Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 7. The event remains scheduled for Riyadh despite heightened regional concerns amid escalating conflict involving Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. The United States government has warned Americans against travel to Saudi Arabia, while U.S. ambassadors and their families have been pulled from the country.
WWE announced on Wednesday that Crown Jewel would move to a new venue, though the show is still set to take place in Riyadh. That decision is notable beyond Crown Jewel itself because Saudi Arabia has been positioned as the planned host location for WrestleMania 43. With WWE’s biggest annual event tied to the country, questions have naturally emerged over whether an alternate site could be needed if conditions change.
The Sphere Is Not Reportedly an Active Backup Option
Las Vegas has been one of the most frequently discussed potential alternatives. WWE staged WrestleMania 41 and WrestleMania 42 in the city, making it an obvious candidate should the company need a familiar U.S. market capable of hosting a massive, destination-level event on short notice.
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Among the venues suggested by fans and observers has been The Sphere, the visually distinctive Las Vegas arena known for its exterior display, immersive interior presentation, and high-profile residencies. A WrestleMania at the venue would certainly carry enormous promotional appeal, particularly for a company that has leaned heavily into spectacle, citywide branding, and premium-event presentation under the TKO umbrella.
Still, WrestleVotes Radio has indicated that The Sphere is not currently being considered as a WrestleMania 43 backup venue. WWE has held internal interest in eventually running a show at The Sphere, but there have reportedly been no meaningful negotiations between WWE and the venue regarding such an event.
That distinction is important. Internal interest does not necessarily equal a workable WrestleMania plan. A standard WWE event and a two-night WrestleMania are very different logistical propositions, particularly when a venue’s availability, production limitations, seating configuration, existing bookings, and commercial commitments all have to be addressed. The Sphere could remain an attractive concept for WWE in the future without being a realistic emergency alternative for WrestleMania 43.
Availability Could Present a Major Obstacle
No official WrestleMania 43 date has been announced. Earlier in the year, WWE was considering the weekends of March 27 and April 10 for the event. Both possible windows create apparent scheduling questions for The Sphere.
“The Wizard of Oz Experience” is currently running at the venue, including the March 27 weekend. Meanwhile, John Mayer has announced a residency that begins at The Sphere on April 8. Those commitments do not automatically rule out every possible WWE arrangement, but they underscore why a move to the building would be far more complicated than simply identifying Las Vegas as an available market.
WrestleMania requires more than the building dates themselves. WWE would need time to construct and test a stadium-scale presentation, organize television and streaming infrastructure, arrange talent and staff travel, coordinate ticketing, establish security plans, and work with local partners across the city. WrestleMania week also traditionally includes a lengthy slate of WWE programming and fan-facing activity beyond the two main nights, creating another layer of planning for any relocation.
The Sphere’s ongoing programming would be particularly significant because the venue is built around a specialized presentation format. WWE’s production team could undoubtedly explore creative uses for that technology, but a WrestleMania move would require a full agreement over how WWE’s staging, lighting, camera positions, live audience requirements, and broadcast needs fit into the building’s existing operational model.
WWE Is Said to Have a Confidential Contingency Blueprint
While The Sphere does not appear to be the answer, WWE is not believed to be without alternatives. The company reportedly has a “backup blueprint” in place in case it becomes necessary to bring WrestleMania 43 to North America. Specific details of that framework are being kept private.
That approach is understandable given the scale and sensitivity of the situation. Naming a potential fallback city or venue before a change becomes necessary could complicate discussions with government partners, buildings, tourism organizations, hotels, and other parties. It could also create confusion for fans while WWE continues to operate with Saudi Arabia as the intended WrestleMania 43 destination.
A backup plan also does not mean a relocation is imminent. Crown Jewel remains scheduled for Riyadh after its venue change, and WWE has not announced any change to WrestleMania 43. The reported contingency work instead reflects the practical reality that WrestleMania is too large an event to approach without alternate options when outside conditions are uncertain.
For WWE, the stakes are especially high because WrestleMania is not just another premium live event. It is the centerpiece of the company’s calendar, drawing fans from around the world and generating an entire week of programming, tourism, sponsorship activity, media attention, and local business. Any decision to alter its planned location would have ramifications well beyond the two nights of matches.
Las Vegas Remains a Logical Market, Even Without The Sphere
The report does not eliminate Las Vegas as a possible fallback market. It only indicates that The Sphere itself is not currently part of a meaningful backup negotiation. Las Vegas still has recent WrestleMania experience and has proven its ability to accommodate WWE’s major-event footprint.
The city’s familiarity with WWE’s operations could make it attractive if a rapid solution were required. Major events depend on cooperation across venues, hotels, transportation, public safety, tourism offices, and corporate partners. Having already brought two recent WrestleManias to Las Vegas, WWE would have existing experience with that broader infrastructure.
At the same time, any potential North American option would have to meet WrestleMania’s distinctive requirements. The show has increasingly been presented as a two-night stadium attraction, and WWE would need a setting that could support the desired ticket demand, production scope, broadcast setup, and surrounding week of events. A venue that is visually novel but too limited in capacity or availability may not be as practical as a more conventional stadium arrangement.
There is also no indication that WWE has selected Las Vegas, or any other North American city, as the formal replacement destination. The existence of a confidential contingency blueprint leaves open a range of possibilities. Until WWE makes an announcement, any proposed market remains speculative.
What This Means for WrestleMania 43
For now, WWE’s planning appears to involve two parallel realities: Saudi Arabia remains the expected location for WrestleMania 43, while the company has prepared for the possibility that it may need to shift the event to North America. The current situation surrounding Crown Jewel has amplified interest in that planning, but it has not produced a public change in WrestleMania’s status.
The Sphere’s exclusion from the reported backup conversations may disappoint fans who envisioned WWE using one of the world’s most technologically ambitious entertainment venues for its flagship event. Yet the report also makes clear that WWE has not dismissed the building as a future destination altogether. The company has reportedly discussed the idea internally; it simply has not advanced into meaningful negotiations, and it is not considered part of the present WrestleMania 43 contingency plan.
As WWE moves toward Crown Jewel on November 7, the immediate focus will remain on the Riyadh event and its revised venue. Beyond that, the key questions surrounding WrestleMania 43 are likely to persist until WWE confirms an event date, host site, and any necessary adjustments to its international plans. At present, the company’s fallback options are being kept under wraps, and The Sphere is not among the venues reportedly in play.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.