WWE Royal Rumble 2026 is just a few weeks away, and that means we are ever closer to the start of WrestleMania season. This is WWE’s best and busiest time of the year. For fans, it is also the most exciting. The WrestleMania card will begin to take shape once the Rumbles are over and the winners are crowned. Before we get there, the match needs to occur, and for that to happen, it requires participants.
Updated: 1/30/26
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 – Full List of Participants
Men’s Royal Rumble
- Cody Rhodes
- Gunther
- Jey Uso
- Rey Mysterio
- Dragon Lee
- Penta
- Roman Reigns
- Solo Sikoa
- Jacob Fatu
- Bron Breakker
- Bronson Reed
- Logan Paul
- Austin Theory
- Je’Von Evans
- Brock Lesnar
- Randy Orton
- Oba Femi
- The Miz
- Ilja Dragunov
- Trick Williams
- Damian Priest
Women’s Royal Rumble
- Iyo Sky
- Rhea Ripley
- Roxanne Perez
- Liv Morgan
- Raquel Rodriguez
- Bayley
- Lyra Valkyria
- Asuka
- Jordynne Grace
- Charlotte Flair
- Alexa Bliss
- Nia Jax
- Lash Legend
- Giulia
- Becky Lynch
- Maxxine Dupri
- Chelsea Green
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The Royal Rumble takes place on January 31, so WWE still has time to build out both the over-the-top-rope matches as well as other bouts to take place on the card. While nothing is official yet, fans can expect the 2026 Royal Rumble to function much like it has in the past. There will most likely be current superstars, NXT superstars, WWE legends, AAA superstars, and surprises in both Rumbles. There are even strong rumors of a certain returning superstar, who certainly would break the Riyadh walls down.
Reckless speculation points to the official event poster, which includes Dominik Mysterio, Jade Cargill, AJ Styles, Tiffany Stratton, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, and Stephanie Vaquer.
Read More: (Very) Early Predictions for WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Winners
Of that list, Sky, Uso, Ripley, Cargill, Lynch, Punk, and Vaquer are all in the midst of Championship reigns. Some of those wrestlers will likely do double duty, both defending their titles and entering the match. It would appear unlikely that McIntyre, Punk, Cargill, or Vaquer enter either Rumble, given their existing status as World Champs. Unless, of course, either lost their title earlier in the night, then a Rumble entry could make sense. In Vaquer’s case, there is also the question of whether or not she is legitimately injured, a fact made murky after the January 5 episode of Monday Night Raw.
Lesnar and Reigns being advertised on the poster certainly points to their presence in the Men’s Royal Rumble, though Punk is without a challenger at the moment. It’s certainly possible that Reigns and/or Lesnar could find themselves in the title picture instead.
On SmackDown, live from Riyadh, here are the talents who appeared or competed, but who are not officially confirmed to participate in the Royal Rumble matches: WWE United States Champion Carmelo Hayes, Rey Fénix, Jade Cargill, Axiom, Nathan Frazer, Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tama Tonga, Stephanie Vaquer, and R-Truth.
There is a lot to be determined, and we won’t know much until the dominoes start to fall.
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