WWE Fans Given £1,000 Royal Rumble Warning Despite Netflix Subscription
The 2026 Royal Rumble takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but those watching around the world on Netflix must tread carefully if watching the event live.
The 39th edition of the iconic event takes place at King Abdullah Financial District, where a temporary stadium was erected for fans to watch all the action.
The event is part of the latest Riyadh Season and is the 14th WWE event in Saudi - acting as a pre-cursor for a historic WrestleMania 43 spectacle in the country in 2027.
There are a total of four matches scheduled, including Royal Rumble matches for both the male and female superstars in WWE.
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30 competitors will participate in each match, with the final superstar standing earning a world championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.
Elsewhere on the card, Scotland's own Drew McIntyre defends his undisputed WWE championship against Sami Zayn, whereas Gunther looks to retire another legend when he takes on AJ Styles in a 'Career Threatening Match'.
What UK fans WWE require to watch Royal Rumble live
For viewers in the UK, the action begins at a more enjoyable start time of 7pm GMT and can be watch live on Netflix at no additional cost with a subscription.
While ESPN have the rights for streaming WWE events in the US, Netflix is the home of WWE in the UK and fans on these shores must be aware of an important law
To watch any top of content live as it happens, a valid TV licence must be in place.
According to the TV Licensing website, it is applicable to anything that is 'live on streaming services'.
Anyone tuning in for the Royal Rumble when it goes live therefore needs to have paid for a TV licence, which typically costs £174.50 per year of £14.54.
Watching the Royal Rumble and other Netflix special events live without a licence could carry a £1000 penalty.
Daniel McAfee, Head of Legal Operations at Lawhive, said: "Under UK law, any live television broadcast requires a valid TV licence, regardless of the streaming platform.
“We have a duty to enforce the law when there is evidence that someone has avoided paying for a TV Licence."
McAfee also encouraged viewers to "stay informed on licensing changes as streaming platforms expand live broadcast offerings".
Netflix subscriptions start at £5.99 but with adverts, compared to a premium service which is £18.99 but is completely ad-free, includes up to four devices and viewing in Ultra HD.
Netflix splashed out a whopping £4 billion to show WWE's biggest events, while they also commissioned two series of the behind-the-scenes 'Unreal' documentary.
Topics: WWE, Royal Rumble, WrestleMania
Josh Lawless