UPDATE: WWE just announced it. Click here for details.
ORIGINAL: A new report has confirmed that WWE’s premium live events will be moving to ESPN platforms much sooner than the originally announced 2026 start date. According to Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline.com, the company will fulfill its contractual obligations to the Peacock with the upcoming Clash in Paris event on August 31.
The official WWE ESPN announcement. Wrestlepalooza will be the first live WWE show on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XZ0yoInMHC
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) August 20, 2025
WWE’s Peacock Deal Ending Early
In a new report, Alvarez confirmed that the upcoming PLE in France will be the final one to air on Peacock in the United States. He explained that by adding a second night to SummerSlam and holding the all-women’s Evolution event, WWE has now met its required number of events for its current deal.
“We have it confirmed that due to the added day of SummerSlam and additional shows including Evolution, the Peacock quota for PLEs will be fulfilled with Clash in Paris, and all future shows will be through ESPN,” Alvarez stated.
The WWE And ESPN Partnership Begins In September
This means that the new, five-year landmark rights agreement between WWE and ESPN will begin with the next US premium live event. The first WWE PLE to air on ESPN platforms is now expected to be the yet-to-be-announced show on Saturday, September 20, from Indianapolis.
The reported main event for that September 20 show is a singles match between John Cena and the returning Brock Lesnar. WWE’s deal with ESPN is reportedly worth $1.6 billion over five years. The premium live events will air on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service, which is priced at $29.99 per month. The full report from Bryan Alvarez can be found at F4Wonline.com.
