Report: WWE PPVs To Begin Airing On ESPN From WrestleMania 42

The new deal to air WWE pay-per-views/premium live events in the United States on ESPN won't begin in January 2026 and will instead take effect from later in the year.

Dave Meltzer has reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that the first pay-per-view to air on ESPN will be WrestleMania 42, which will emanate from Las Vegas on April 18 and April 19, 2026. WWE and NBCUniversal agreed to a five-year deal worth $900 million in March 2021.

The new arrangement between WWE and ESPN is a five-year deal worth $1.6 billion and will see every WWE main roster pay-per-view air on ESPN's direct-to-consumer service, while select pay-per-views will air on ESPN's linear TV platforms. It is unknown where WWE's library and NXT premium live events will be available in the United States from 2026.

ESPN's new DTC service will cost fans $29.99, although some cable providers will provide free access to the new platform. This is not the case with every cable provider, however.

Nothing has changed for international fans and WWE pay-per-views will continue to air on Netflix.

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