Like the Cookie Monster with his cookies, I will always be thrilled about WWE Royal Rumble matches. In 2026, though, my excitement level isn’t as high as it usually is.

Unlike most years, the field for the 2026 Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumbles filled up rather late, with January 16 marking the first utterance of any wrestler’s participation (Thank you, Cody Rhodes). Before that, it felt like the Royal Rumble matches, which guarantee the winners a title match of their choosing on WWE’s grandest stage, were an afterthought to Saturday Night’s Main Event, a show that didn’t even seem necessary.

For many of us long-time fans, Royal Rumble declarations mean something. They give us confirmation and clarity as to who will be in Royal Rumbles, and in turn, we can start forming theories as to who may fill the spots that are left vacant heading into the titular premium live event. We can also begin making cases for why our favorite stars should or could win the over-the-top-rope spectacle. Unfortunately, all of this was derailed and/or rushed partly by the fact that SNME, which had its own build and lineup of matches, took place merely one week before the 2026 Royal Rumble PLE.

Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY, two of the WWE’s top women, weren’t even able to declare themselves for the Royal Rumble without mentioning Saturday Night’s Main Event in the same breath. The same can be said for the Judgment Day’s Roxanne Perez and Liv Morgan, who tried to hype their own Royal Rumble participation while not overlooking their tag title match at SNME and vice versa.

Had WWE continued the tradition of confirming Royal Rumble entrants in December, or at least early January, it would have made the build to the matches feel less rushed, and more importantly, as major as it should be. After all, the Royal Rumble marks the official starting point for the road to WWE WrestleMania, the biggest event in all of professional wrestling.

Build (or lack thereof) aside, it’s also hard not to groan at the unfortunate reality that will specifically be apparent for the women once again. Due to cultural constraints, the women of WWE have routinely had to modify their in-ring attire into more modest sets when wrestling in Saudi Arabia. And with the 2026 Royal Rumble taking place in Riyadh, I already feel sorry for the women that will have to endure long performances in the Royal Rumble match while wearing long sleeve bodysuits.

Written by Ella Jay