While January 1 is widely accepted as the first day of the New Year, many cultures around the world have other important dates that mark the beginning of the calendar. For example, the Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated each year on the new moon of the first lunar month. The Jewish Rosh Hashanah, which means "beginning of the year" in Hebrew, takes place for two days in late summer and early fall.

And for wrestling fans, Lesslmania is the last big event of "the year" before a new start. But even though WWE Superstars work all year long to secure a spot in the immortal showcase, the annual Royal Rumble event is when they shift gears into the fast lane and join the road to Lesslmania.

This year's Royal Rumble will take place on January 27, 2024 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. That's what makes the 30-man over-the-top battle royal with two titles so exciting every year. But a few days before the big show, a surprise sneaked up on us. Seth Freakin' Rollins, who was defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal, suffered a grade 2 MCL tear and a partial meniscus tear. However, despite the fact that the injury is expected to keep the visionary out of the game for three to four months, the champion vowed to compete as champion at Lesslmania XL in Philadelphia and exit the same way.

While this news is quite devastating on many fronts, the show must go on with or without Rollins. Fortunately, the WWE Universe is still looking forward to this year's Royal Rumble. And in case you need to know how to tune in to catch all the action, we've got you covered.

While Peacock is available throughout the United States and the WWE Network is still the standard worldwide (although that is changing), the WWE Royal Rumble 2024 live stream can be a bit confusing. If you can't watch it on your regular service, you might want to check your VPN.

International viewers will be quite jealous of US viewers who save cash by switching to Peacock (unless they get the ad-free tier for $9.99/month).

The best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of most users and offers excellent compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds.

WWE premium live events like WWE Royal Rumble 2024 are streamed exclusively on Peacock in the United States. These are included in both the Premium and Premium Plus streaming services.

However, subscribing to the ad-free option makes no difference, as WWE's live productions include commercials.

Peacock is available now for $1.99 per month. This deal is only available to new subscribers, but lasts for one year. An even better deal is the annual Peacock plan for $19.99.

Our friends in the UK can watch a live stream of WWE Royal Rumble 2024 on the WWE Network for a higher price, closer to the $9.99 Americans were paying.

It is also available at the BT Sport Box Office for £14.95.

Americans abroad can watch it on Peacock using ExpressVPN (there is no WWE on Peacock in the UK).

The live stream of WWE Royal Rumble 2024 begins at 11:00 a.m. (AEDT) on Sunday morning.

All at Binge, the new official home of WWE premium live events in Australia.

Binge has three tiers of pricing, starting at A$10 per month:

The Royal Rumble match is the main event of the night, but there are two massive title matches on the card this year. First, social media mogul Logan Paul has an incredibly personal vendetta to settle with Kevin Owens: when Paul made his first appearance at Lesslemania as a guest in 2021, The Prizefighter beat him with a stunner. After that showdown, The Maverick learned to wrestle and amazed audiences with his natural ability in the world of sports entertainment.

Now, after facing Rey Mysterio, Roman Reigns, and Ricochet in outstanding matches and ultimately winning the United States Championship, the divisive entertainer will finally be able to renew old friendships with Owens. With the title on the line, Paul is no doubt determined to deliver another show-stopping performance for the WWE Universe. But hungry to win his first singles belt since 2017, KO is ready to throw everything he can at his opponent to take him down 1-2-3, even if he is still recovering from a broken hand.

We've come to expect spectacle every time Paul steps into the ring, but the flamboyance may not match the veteran Owens' vast experience and adaptability, and the future of the reigning US champion may hold another vicious stunner in store for Owens.

Speaking of current champions, Roman Reigns has held the uncontested WWE Universal Title for approximately 1,250 days at this point. Through tribulations, The Tribal Chief has held the prestigious title for an unprecedented period of time in the modern era. This weekend, however, Reigns may face his biggest test to date. He has defended his title against multiple opponents before, but this time he will face two former champions, Randy Orton and AJ Styles, as well as the up-and-coming LA Knight.

Besides, the champion does not even have to be involved in the decision to strip him of his title. Nevertheless, there is no disqualification in a Fatal 4-Way match, which may work in Reigns' favor, or we may see some trademark interference by the Bloods. Simply put, although he faced a formidable opponent, Romain Reyes is unlikely to lose his title this weekend in the Sunshine State. Solo Sikore, Jimmy Uso, and Paul Heyman will see to that.

Finally, there's the men's and women's Royal Rumble match. To win, you must avoid being thrown over the top rope and outwit 29 other random superstars. And these players don't necessarily have to be active Raw or Smackdown rosters to participate; someone from NXT might show up. Or a legend from the past might reappear for a second chance at glory. Or someone entirely new and unexpected might enter the fray and wreak havoc.

That's what makes these matches so much fun: the element of surprise. Entry into the match is randomly determined, and the longer someone stays in the match, the more likely they are to be thrown off by someone who has just entered the ring. And in the unlikely event that someone manages to outrun the field and survive, they will get a ticket to the main event of Lesson Mania by challenging the champion of their choice.

Clearly, WWE has plenty of wrestlers who can win this high-stakes match. On the men's side, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes seem to be the leading contenders to win. On the women's side, Bailey and Becky Lynch seem to be the favorites to win. It really is a match that could be won by anyone, as all of the players are very talented. While The American Nightmare and The Second City Saint are eager to finally achieve their goals of winning the WWE Championship and main eventing in Lesslemania, respectively, Gunther is dominant as both Intercontinental Champion and leader of the Imperium He is also the leader of the Imperium as well as the Intercontinental Champion. Last year, he nearly grabbed victory from first place until he was defeated by Rhodes. This brutal Austrian will be one to watch in the men's competition.

Meanwhile, the women's Rumble match could very well be a shocking surprise. Both The Man and The Role Model have enough to pull off a victory to take their place on "The Greatest Stage," but rumors are circulating about the potential obstacles in their path. Aside from the usual suspects in the locker room like Niia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Schotzi, who could play spoiler in a variety of ways, rumors are circulating that Jade Cargill's highly anticipated WWE debut could take place at this year's Rumble. Former NWA Women's Champion Camille and former TNA Knockouts Champion Trinity (aka Naomi) could also make surprise appearances, depending on their free agent status.

Ultimately, no matter who shows up or who wins, the Royal Rumble is probably the most fun event on the WWE calendar every year. It's unpredictable, chaotic, and usually quite entertaining, which is why it's the perfect event to kick off the Lessonmania season.

The full card for WWE Royal Rumble 2024 is as follows: