Royal Rumble 2026 start time: What time does WWE Royal Rumble 2026 start, and what’s on the card?

Mo. Basuony

Published: January 31, 2026 4:21 PM ET

Royal Rumble 2026

Royal Rumble 2026 is set for Saturday, January 31, 2026, and because the event is being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the WWE Royal Rumble 2026 start time lands much earlier than the traditional U.S. evening slot. If you’re searching “what time is Royal Rumble 2026” or “what time does the Royal Rumble start,” here are the key times and the latest look at the Royal Rumble 2026 card.

Royal Rumble 2026 start time in ET

Countdown/pre-show: 12:00 p.m. ET
Main show (Royal Rumble start time): 2:00 p.m. ET

That 2:00 p.m. ET bell time is the main answer to “royal rumble 2026 time” and “what time is the royal rumble 2026.”

Where Royal Rumble 2026 is happening and why the timing is different

WWE is staging Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh at Riyadh Season Stadium, a temporary outdoor venue tied to the city’s major seasonal event footprint. The location shift matters for fans mainly because it drives the earlier U.S. start. In practical terms, it turns Royal Rumble into an afternoon appointment in North America instead of a night-long watch party.

It also changes the feel of the show. The Rumble is built on marathon pacing—two 30-person battle royals plus featured matches—so starting earlier doesn’t mean a smaller night. It simply reorders how your day looks if you’re watching live.

Royal Rumble 2026 card: What’s confirmed

The Royal Rumble 2026 card is anchored by the usual pillars: a Men’s Royal Rumble match, a Women’s Royal Rumble match, and top singles bouts designed to heat up the road to WrestleMania.

Here’s what’s currently set:

Men’s Royal Rumble match

A deep field with headline names and power entrants already attached. The confirmed group includes Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Gunther, Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio, Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, Randy Orton, and Brock Lesnar, with additional entrants filling out the 30 spots.

The men’s match typically defines the next two months of weekly television. Even without locking in an outcome, the sheer concentration of top-tier names signals a Rumble designed to feel “loaded” from the opening stretch rather than saving everything for the final five.

Women’s Royal Rumble match

This is where searches for Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan tie directly into the card: both are among the big names listed for the women’s field. They’re joined by a stacked mix that includes Iyo Sky, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Asuka, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Roxanne Perez, Raquel Rodriguez, Lyra Valkyria, Jordynne Grace, Giulia, Chelsea Green, Lash Legend, and more.

For Ripley, the Rumble setting fits her strengths: physical control, big-moment timing, and the ability to change the pace of the ring when the match starts to sprawl. For Morgan, the format rewards resilience and opportunism—lasting long enough to be there when the match becomes less about raw power and more about positioning, alliances, and sudden eliminations.

WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn

A major title bout sits alongside the two Rumble matches, with Drew McIntyre defending against Sami Zayn. The story element here is straightforward: Zayn’s path to a singles world title is defined by credibility tests, and a championship match on a global stage is as direct a test as it gets.

AJ Styles vs. Gunther with career stakes

AJ Styles faces Gunther with a stipulation that raises the pressure: Styles has said 2026 is his final in-ring year, and this match is framed as a career-defining moment. There’s also an added wrinkle tied to Rumble participation, making this more than a standalone grudge match—it has knock-on effects for the rest of the card.

What to watch for once the bell rings

Royal Rumble matches are “controlled chaos,” but the best ones still have structure: an early section that sets pace, a mid-match stretch where rivalries collide, and a late surge built around fresh entrants and clear favorites. With star-heavy fields on both sides, Royal Rumble 2026 is positioned to lean into momentum swings—big eliminations early enough to shock the crowd, then a closing run designed to feel unpredictable even if the final names are obvious.

If you’re tuning in mainly for Rhea Ripley or Liv Morgan, the best strategy is simply to be live for the start. Entrant timing shapes everything—someone can define the entire match by arriving early and surviving, or by arriving late and flipping the ring in two minutes.