WWE held its 2026 SummerSlam premium live event (PLE) over the weekend on Saturday, August 1st, and Sunday, August 2nd, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, unlike previous stadium shows, the company did not announce attendance figures for either night.
Ticket sales for the two-night event were reportedly disappointing, which became a significant talking point leading up to the PLE. WrestleTix noted that the company distributed 35,654 tickets for Saturday and 33,719 for Sunday.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, an observer of the secondary market indicated that SummerSlam 2026 was the second-weakest major sports event of the year in that market.
Meltzer explained that WWE slashed ticket prices to $25 a few weeks before the event due to underwhelming sales, resulting in a brief spike before they plateaued again as SummerSlam approached. This pattern suggested significant “papering,” a practice where tickets are distributed for free or at discounted prices to inflate attendance figures. Meltzer also noted that WWE’s choice not to announce the final attendance indicated disappointment with the numbers.
Furthermore, Meltzer mentioned that since WWE received substantial public funds to host the show, the Minnesota government should disclose the actual attendance figures. He added that WWE seems to be making an effort to keep this information private. One possible reason they did not announce attendance is their concern that AEW’s All In: London may outdraw either night of the PLE. According to WrestleTix, AEW has so far distributed 36,565 tickets for the Wembley event scheduled for August 30th.
