Report: WWE employees stuck at airport in Qatar ahead of SmackDown, Night of Champions

WWE’s employees are arriving in the Middle East early this week in preparation for Saturday’s Night of Champions event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, rising tension in the region could throw a wrench in these plans.

According to Figure Four Online’s Bryan Alvarez, members of WWE’s production crew have arrived in Qatar, which borders Saudi Arabia to the east, before making the short journey to Saudi Arabia’s capital. As Qatar has shut down all airspace in the wake of the ongoing conflict, those WWE employees are stuck at the airport for the time being.

As it stands, WWE is still set to hold the event on time this weekend, as well as the episode of Friday Night SmackDown that will be held the night before in Riyadh. WWE will hold its weekly episode of Monday Night Raw from Columbus, Ohio tonight before making the trek across the world for the company’s premium live event. It’s unclear when talent are set to arrive in the area, but concern over their talent and employee safety has been a major concern for fans and critics on social media.

The backlash over the event comes following the United States’ decision to bomb three nuclear sites in Iran this past weekend. According to Air Force Gen. Dan Caine in a press conference, the revealed that the mission included 75 “precision-guided weapons” were used during the operation and that seven B-2 stealth bombers were tasked with hitting the nuclear sites — all of which avoided detection before the event was carried out.

Iran retaliated on Monday with a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar — the same country where WWE’s employees are. No casualties were reported.

WWE has been traveling to Saudi Arabia regularly for shows since 2018, and there’s been no shortage of controversy in the time since their partnership began. Backlash over women’s rights, wrestlers refusing to work in the country, travel issues and lawsuits have all occurred due to the company’s relationship with the country.

This time, many believe it poses a potential safety risk to have the many United States-born professional wrestlers on-hand working in the country. The State Department released a statement in its Worldwide Caution advisory following the initial attacks.

“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” the State Department said. “There is potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”

As it stands, it’s business as usual for the WWE and its shows in Riyadh this week. Once Qatar re-opens its airspace, the company can begin preparing for their live events.