A women’s wrestling match is due to take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time, but it is still not clear whether the contenders may have to “dress modestly” for the historic event.

The contest is due to be held on Thursday night in Riyadh and features WWE wrestlers Natalya and Lacey Evans.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon told Newsweek: “Hopefully, this event, this match, this opportunity will have a ripple effect all around the world to show everyone that women belong in the same place that men do.

“They deserve to have the same opportunities as men. They deserve to be in this place. It’s an earned opportunity. It’s not something that’s being given. Equality should exist for everyone.”

But the match has drawn criticism due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and its oppressive laws.

Same-sex activity is illegal, public spaces are mostly separated by gender and women’s rights are still restricted.

Women could not attend sporting events until as recently as 2017.

While Saudi Arabia is relaxing its strict rules on entertainment, it is not clear yet whether the fighters will have to cover up, as foreign tourists do.

Many women normally wear a long black robe in public called an abaya that covers all but the hands and face.

Female tourists are required to wear loose trousers or skirts, long-sleeved shirts and an abaya on top.

In 2018 it became legal for women in Saudi Arabia to drive cars, and last August changes were made to the guardianship system – allowing women to apply for passports and travel independently without permission.

Nonetheless, women still continue to have many restrictions on their lives and several women’s rights activists have been arrested and put on trial.

WWE Crown Jewel Show all 8 1 /8 WWE Crown Jewel WWE Crown Jewel Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman Brock Lesnar performs his F5 move on Braun Strowman during the WWE Universal Championship match as part of as part of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Photo by AFP)/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WWE Crown Jewel Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman Brock Lesnar celebrates after winning the WWE Universal Championship match as part of as part of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Photo by AFP)/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WWE Crown Jewel Hulk Hogan returns Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan greets the crowd during the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Photo by AFP)/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WWE Crown Jewel WWE World Cup Shane McMahon, SmackDown commissioner and minority owner of WWE, raises the WWE World Cup trophy following the match as part of as part of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Photo by AFP)/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WWE Crown Jewel WWE World Cup Seth Rollins makes his way to the rign during the WWE World Cup Quarterfinal match as part of as part of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. (Photo by AFP)/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WWE Crown Jewel WWE World Cup Randy Orton is seen in action against Rey Mysterio during the single match of WWE "Crown Jewel" World Cup 2018 tournament at King Saud University stadium in Riyadh, November 2, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal al Nasser FAISAL AL NASSER REUTERS WWE Crown Jewel WWE World Cup Rey Mysterio is seen in action against Randy Orton during the single match of WWE "Crown Jewel" World Cup 2018 tournament at King Saud University stadium in Riyadh, November 2, 2018. REUTERS/Faisal al Nasser FAISAL AL NASSER REUTERS WWE Crown Jewel WWE World Cup epa07137435 World wrestling star Bobby Lashley (L), wrestling with Seth Rawlins (R), during the wrestling event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 02 November 2018. Saudi Arabia hosts Crown Joel World Racing Entertainment (WWE) event. This is the second event hosted by Saudi Arabia in the same year after the Grand Grand Rumble in April 2018 at the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Sports City in Jeddah. EPA/AHMED YOSRI AHMED YOSRI EPA

Some activists have even alleged they were tortured in prison.

The historic match is part of the WWE Crown Jewel event being held at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium.

Lacey Evans tweeted on Wednesday: “When I signed up for WWE my goal was to really impact the world and the people that I can, and we’re doing it one day at a time.”

Natalya wrote: “The world will be watching. I am so incredibly proud to represent our women’s division tomorrow night at #WWECrownJewel. It’s time to bring your best, Lacey.”

WWE’s first Saudi wrestler Mansoor told WWE.com: “I cannot even begin to describe how much that means to me, how much that means to my little sisters, who love WWE, how much it means to my nieces, who love WWE and who fantasise and dream about being wrestlers.

“When I first started... I had a lot of people asking me, ‘hey, do you think women are ever going to get to compete here?’

“I was, like, ‘absolutely’, because when I grew up here the idea of men and women even sitting in the same arena to watch a show was unheard of.

“We have women driving now. Just the changes that have been in this country, every single time I come back, are astronomical. I’m so incredibly proud that I am going to be there.”