WWE has officially found a new U.S. streaming home for its premium live events, announcing a blockbuster rights deal with ESPN that will begin in 2026. The five-year agreement is worth an average of $325 million per year, totaling an eye-popping $1.625 billion over the full term.
According to CNBC, WWE’s top events—including WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money In The Bank—will stream exclusively in the United States on ESPN’s new $29.99/month direct-to-consumer platform. Additionally, select events will simulcast on ESPN’s linear cable networks.
This marks a major shift from WWE’s current home on Peacock, where the company’s content has lived since 2021. That existing deal, worth $180 million per year, will expire at the end of 2025.
While Monday Night Raw has already made its move to Netflix, and PLEs are now destined for ESPN, Friday Night SmackDown will remain with the USA Network and Peacock through 2029, as part of a separate agreement.
Mark Shapiro, President of TKO Group Holdings, called the partnership “our destiny.” Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman, added that it’s a “fantastic way for us to expand our audience.” Nick Khan, WWE President, described the move as a “pivotal moment” for WWE fans, underscoring the brand’s status as a top-tier sports entertainment property.
Beginning in 2026, WWE fans in the U.S. will need to subscribe to ESPN’s new streaming platform to watch monthly premium live events. While the monthly price is higher than Peacock’s $5.99 entry tier, ESPN’s offering is expected to include a wide range of sports content in addition to WWE.
This deal solidifies WWE’s position as a major player in the sports media rights landscape, alongside the NFL, NBA, and UFC. With Netflix, Peacock, and now ESPN all sharing pieces of WWE’s broadcast puzzle, the company’s 2026 media landscape is shaping up to be its most lucrative and widely distributed ever.
Stay with PWMania.com for all updates on WWE’s media rights deals, PLE changes, and what this new era means for the WWE Universe.
