A main-event spot at WrestleMania 42 is up for grabs at the 2026 Royal Rumble, and the road to WWE’s biggest show of the year officially begins this weekend.
Royal Rumble season kicks off with the annual event featuring both men’s and women’s 30-person Rumble matches. The winner of each match earns a championship opportunity at WrestleMania, making the night a potential career-defining moment that can elevate a wrestler from star to superstar.
The 2026 Royal Rumble takes place on Saturday, Jan. 31, and competitors have begun officially declaring their entry into the men’s and women’s matches. While not all participants will be announced ahead of time—surprise entrants are a hallmark of the event—fans already have a strong idea of who will be competing when the countdown clock hits zero.
Men’s Royal Rumble 2026 participants
As of Thursday, Jan. 29, 17 of the 30 spots have been confirmed:
- Cody Rhodes
- Gunther
- Jey Uso
- Rey Mysterio
- Dragon Lee
- Penta
- Roman Reigns
- Solo Sikoa
- Jacob Fatu
- Bron Breakker
- Logan Paul
- Bronson Reed
- Austin Theory
- Je’Von Evans
- Oba Femi
- Randy Orton
- Brock Lesnar
Women’s Royal Rumble 2026 participants
Seventeen of the 30 spots have also been confirmed for the women’s match:
- 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
When is Royal Rumble 2026? How can you watch?
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 31
- Time: 2 p.m. ET
- Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- How to watch: Streaming on ESPN in the U.S.; available internationally on Netflix in most markets
The 2026 Royal Rumble will stream live at 2 p.m. ET from Riyadh, marking the official start of WrestleMania season and setting the stage for unforgettable moments, surprise returns, and championship dreams.