ESPN and WWE announced the first Premium Live Event (PLE) that will air on ESPN platforms. Find out the WWE PLE on ESPN release date below.
ESPN Kicks Off WWE PLE Era With Wrestlepalooza
When ESPN first announced its WWE deal, the expectation was that PLEs would continue airing on Peacock in 2025 before transitioning to ESPN platforms in 2026.
It’s going to happen a lot sooner than that.
ESPN and WWE announced on Wednesday that WWE PLEs will begin airing on ESPN platforms starting September 20. Clash in Paris on August 31 will be the last WWE PLE on Peacock.
The first WWE PLE to air on ESPN platforms will be Wrestlepalooza. The event will stream live on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service.
Wrestlepalooza will be held inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and will begin streaming at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
“On September 20, WWE and ESPN are coming together for a can’t-miss event to kick off our new partnership,” said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque in a statement. “The biggest Superstars in WWE. The biggest brand in sports media. Are you ready?”
John Cena will headline Wrestlepalooza as he reaches the final stages of his retirement tour. Other superstars advertised for Wrestlepalooza include Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, CM Punk, and Drew McIntyre.
Wrestlepalooza tickets will go on sale starting Friday, August 22, at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com. Presale for Wrestlepalooza tickets will begin Thursday, August 21, at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
ESPN’s Historic Deal With WWE
ESPN 🤝 @WWE
Starting in 2026, ESPN’s DTC platform will be the U.S. home of every WWE Premium Live Event – including @WrestleMania
Details: https://t.co/JBmWsU5gvS pic.twitter.com/rdGYpPHtOQ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 6, 2025
Earlier this month, ESPN announced its groundbreaking deal with WWE to become the exclusive home of WWE Premium Live Events.
The acquisition of WWE coincides with ESPN’s launch of the DTC streaming service and its enhanced ESPN app on Thursday, August 31.
Those who pay for ESPN through their cable company, like Verizon Fios or direcTV, do not have to pay extra to access the WWE PLEs through the ESPN app.
Going forward, ESPN platforms are the home for every WWE PLE, including Crown Jewel in October, Survivor Series in November, Royal Rumble in January 2026, and WrestleMania in April 2026.
