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WWE Royal Rumble 2026 has special early UK start time on Netflix
WWE fans, the 2026 Royal Rumble is almost here.
It’s the most unpredictable night in wrestling, and things will be a little different this year with the company heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as the iconic premium live event goes global for the first time.
Recent reports have suggested fans can expect WrestleMania-level production from this weekend’s show, which comes around 15 months before WWE’s flagship event also makes it way to Saudi.
This weekend, as well as the traditional 30-man and 30-woman Rumble matches, the entire landscape could change as AJ Styles faces retirement with his career on the line.
Viewers will also be treated to a massive championship clash as Drew McIntyre puts his WWE Title up for grabs to kick off the road to WrestleMania.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is WWE Royal Rumble 2026?
WWE Royal Rumble airs tomorrow (Saturday, January 30). The special premium live event will start at 7pm for fans in the UK.
How to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2026?
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WWE fans in the UK can stream the Royal Rumble live or on demand via Netflix.
The streamer is the official home of WWE for most countries outside the United States, and for fans in the UK, which includes live episodes of Raw, SmackDown and NXT, and monthly PLEs like WrestleMania and Elimination Chamber.
There are also original programmes like tell-all docu-series WWE Unreal, and it’s all part of your subscription, so simply log into your account, and you’re all set!
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 entrances and match card
- Men’s Royal Rumble: Cody Rhodes, GUNTHER, Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Penta, Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Brok Breakker, Logan Paul, Bronson Reed, Austin Theory, Je’Von Evans, Oba Femi and 15 more TBA
- Women’s Royal Rumble: Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, Asuka, Chelsea Green, Jordynne Grace, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Giulia, Maxxine Dupri, Becky Lynch and 13 more TBA
- If AJ loses, he retires: GUNTHER vs. AJ Styles
- WWE Title: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Sami Zayn
What are the rules for the Royal Rumble?
Whether you’re a first-time viewer on Netflix or need a refresher, here are the rules for the Royal Rumble match:
Last superstar standing wins and gets a World Title match at WrestleMania
Two superstars star in the ring
At regular intervals, another superstar enters until all 30 have come out
To eliminate an opponent at any time, throw them over the top rope with both feet hitting the floor
Who could win the 2026 Royal Rumble?
Metro’s WWE expert Alistair McGeorge breaks down his predictions for this year’s show.
It’s hard to predict the Royal Rumble winners at the best of times, but this year seems tougher than ever.
On the women’s side, Liv Morgan seems primed to be thrust back into the main event scene, while someone like Jordynne Grace could be given a huge push, and the possibility of Bianca Belair making a triumphant return from injury.
For the men, Bron Breakker is the obvious call, given his talent and the way WWE has been positioning him, while letting Oba Femi shine this early would also be a real statement of intent to spotlight rising stars.
Each match also has the chance for some major surprises entrances, with Bianca being an obvious pick, along with the heavily rumoured return of Chris Jericho.
Both names would really shake up their respective divisions, with the EST of WWE still being among the best in the world, and Jericho having a rich and storied history in the company.
Away from the Rumbles, it feels far too early for Drew McIntyre to lose his title yet, as great as a Sami Zayn win would be, and I really do think AJ Styles will lose to GUNTHER and hang up his boots.
He’s been thinking about retirement for a long time (he told me as far back as Apr,il 2024) and it’d be fitting if he called time on this event, 10 years after making his WWE debut in the 2016 Rumble.
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