Since 2021, Peacock, streaming service owned by NBCuniversal, is the only place that WWE American fans can go to see the premium events held by the company. This will change next year.
Today, WWE and ESPN announce the following.
Bristol, Conn. and Stamford, Conn. (August 6, 2025) —espin, subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), and WWE, part of Tko Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), today announced a historical agreement of rights for which ESPN platforms, including the new direct streaming service to the consumer, will become the exclusive home in the United States of all live premium events of WWE (PLES), including the two nights of the Wrestlemania cultural phenomenon, from 2026. This agreement makes ESPN the house of the most important events of WWE year.
The ESPN DTC service will issue all annual PLES, in full, with simultaneous transmission on linear platforms. The PLES Badge, including Wrestlemania and Summerslam – the two nights of both events – and Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, Money in the Bank, among others. WWE will continue to produce all PLES (…)
ESPN platforms, including their DTC service, will have the opportunity to broadcast the previous and subsequent WWE events linked to all live premium events (…)
► WWE and ESPN join forces
In the same statement, statements of Jimmy Pitaro, director of ESPN are collected.
«WWE has an immense, devout and passionate fans base that are excited to be part of our new ESPN DTC platform. This agreement, which presents the most significant WWE annual events, signs our unprecedented curriculum and helps boost our future emissions ».
Also by Mark Shapiro, Head of Operations of Tko.
“We are proud to strengthen ESPN's 'E' at an exciting moment of this trip to the 'Direct-to-Consumer'. WWE Premium events are known by precisely the type of narrative rich, incredible athletic feats and unmissable and successful cultural experiences that have become synonymous with ESPN. Through our relationship with UFC, we have experienced firsthand how transformative can be the presence of ESPN, and we know that this will be an exceptional collaboration agreement at a time of great innovations for both companies ».
And also, by Nick Khan, president of WWE.
«The WWE agreement with ESPN is a crucial time for our millions of fans around the world in the United States: the sports entertainment leader team with the largest sports media brand. Taking WWE's flagship events to the WWE platform is tremendously exciting. We know that only sky is the limit ».
ESPN 🤝 @WWE
Starting in 2026, ESPN’s DTC platform will be the U.S. home of every WWE Premium Live Event – including @WrestleMania
Details: pic.twitter.com/rdGYpPHtOQ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) August 6, 2025
