WWE at Principality stadium brings £21.8m to Welsh economy

WWE "Clash at the Castle" was held in Cardiff last year

A WWE wrestling event at Cardiff's Principality Stadium generated £21.8m for the Welsh economy, the Welsh government has said.

The "Clash at the Castle" event saw 60,000 wrestling fans in attendance at the stadium in September last year.

A study has found three quarters of those fans had travelled into Wales from outside the country.

Nigel Walker, Welsh Rugby Union interim CEO, said Cardiff "stepped up to the challenge".

"Clash at the Castle had a global audience of millions, and with all eyes on Principality Stadium, we showcased what a magnificent venue we have here in Cardiff," he said.

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An Economic Impact Study questioned over 3,000 respondents and found 57% of non-locals said the event made them want to explore other parts of Wales.

Wales' economy minister Vaughan Gething said: "In addition to the direct economic impact the event delivered here in Wales, it provided us with a huge boost to our profile internationally.

There were 62,296 fans at the Principality Stadium, where Drew McIntyre took on Roman Reigns in the main event

"This included opportunities to showcase Wales' vibrant language and culture through bespoke content creation shared globally on WWE's social media channels."

The event was the first major WWE show in the UK since SummerSlam at Wembley Stadium in 1992.

The amount the event contributed to the economy was similar to rugby internationals - as research estimated each Six Nations game played in Cardiff boosts Wales' economy by more than £20m.

Former sponsor RBS estimated the 2017 tournament - where Wales played two games at home - brought Wales £52m worth of revenue.