A new report has shed light on why WWE’s 2026 Night of Champions featured a larger-than-usual match card.
According to WrestleVotes Radio, the premium live event in Saudi Arabia included six matches—one more than WWE has typically presented—after ESPN reportedly requested that the company add another match or two to the lineup.
The report states that the goal was to strengthen the premium portion of the event available on ESPN Unlimited.
Under the reported format, the first two matches were simulcast on ESPN television, while the remaining four matches were available exclusively to ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
The report also notes that ESPN plans to continue airing the opening hour of WWE premium live events on its television network through at least the fall of 2026.
By making the first hour available to all viewers, ESPN reportedly hopes to encourage fans to subscribe to ESPN Unlimited in order to watch the remainder of each event.
ESPN approached WWE about adding another match or two to the Night of Champions lineup as a way to strengthen the paid standalone portion of the broadcast that streamed on ESPN+, sources tell @WrestleVotes Radio on @FightfulSelect.
We're told that the first hour of PLEs being… pic.twitter.com/nZadrSIILQ
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) July 2, 2026
