WrestleMania 42
{{short description|2026 WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming event}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox Wrestling event
|name = WrestleMania 42
|image = File:Wrestlemania Neutral Logo.svg
|caption =
|tagline =
|promotion = WWE
|date = April 2026
|attendance =
|venue = TBA
|city = TBA
|wwenlast =
|wwennext =
|event = WrestleMania
|lastevent2 = 41
|nextevent2 =
}}
WrestleMania 42 is an upcoming 2026 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It will be the 42nd annual WrestleMania and will take place as a two-night event in April 2026 for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event was originally set to take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 11 and 12; however, in May 2025, it was announced that New Orleans would not be hosting WrestleMania in 2026, with a new location set to be announced for that year.
Production
= Background =
WrestleMania is WWE's flagship professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, having first been held in 1985. It was the company's first PPV produced and was also WWE's first major event available via livestreaming when the company launched the WWE Network in February 2014. It is the longest-running event in WWE history and is held annually between mid-March to mid-April, featuring wrestlers from WWE's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions.{{cite web| last1=Benigno|first1=Anthony|last2=Clapp|first2=John|date=April 3, 2013| title=WrestleMania 29 press conference brings WWE to Radio City Music Hall| url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/29/wrestlemania-press-conference-radio-city-music-hall|work=WWE|access-date=March 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407013602/https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/29/wrestlemania-press-conference-radio-city-music-hall|archive-date=April 7, 2013|url-status=live|quote=... WWE's flagship event lights up MetLife Stadium ... WrestleMania}} Along with Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank, it is one of the company's five biggest events of the year, referred to as the "Big Five".Ian Hamilton. Wrestling's Sinking Ship: What Happens to an Industry Without Competition (p. 160){{cite web |title=Las Vegas to host WWE's Money in the Bank in 2022|url=https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-to-host-wwes-money-in-the-bank-in-2022|website=KSNV |access-date=May 31, 2022|date=August 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823161938/https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-to-host-wwes-money-in-the-bank-in-2022|archive-date=August 23, 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=WWE Announces Dates And Location For WrestleMania 40|date=July 27, 2022|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-announces-dates-and-location-wrestlemania-40|first=Jeremy|last=Lambert|work=Fightful|access-date=July 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727142226/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/wwe-announces-dates-and-location-wrestlemania-40|archive-date=July 27, 2022|url-status=live}} WrestleMania was ranked the sixth-most valuable sports brand in the world by Forbes,{{cite magazine| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2019/10/16/the-forbes-fab-40-puma-debuts-on-2019-list-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-sports-brands/?sh=79efef21d356|title=The Forbes Fab 40: Puma Debuts On 2019 List Of The World's Most Valuable Sports Brands |first=Mike|last=Ozanian|magazine=Forbes|access-date=October 16, 2019| date=October 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127120331/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2019/10/16/the-forbes-fab-40-puma-debuts-on-2019-list-of-the-worlds-most-valuable-sports-brands/?sh=79efef21d356|archive-date=January 27, 2022|url-status=live}} and has been described as the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.{{cite web|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=WrestleMania is Super Bowl of sports entertainment|url=https://apnews.com/article/f7ba8479c0434c7ba347a50c5a75c65e|work=Associated Press|date=April 4, 2013|access-date=March 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331101111/https://bigstory.ap.org/article/wrestlemania-super-bowl-sports-entertainment|archive-date=March 31, 2014|url-status=live}}
In mid-February 2025, reports emerged that WrestleMania 42 would take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, the same venue that hosted WrestleMania XXX in 2014 and WrestleMania 34 in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/wwe/wwe-wrestlemania-42-reportedly-heading-to-caesars-superdome-in-new-orleans|title=WWE WrestleMania 42 Reportedly Heading To Caesars Superdome In New Orleans|date=February 13, 2025|first=Jon|last=Alba|work=Sports Illustrated|access-date=February 21, 2025}} During the February 21 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, TKO board of directors member and WWE wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson announced that WrestleMania 42 would emanate from the Caesars Superdome on April 11 and 12, 2026.{{cite web|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/the-rock-reveals-wwe-wrestlemania-42-dates-and-location/|title=The Rock reveals WWE WrestleMania 42 dates and location|date=February 21, 2025|last=Renner|first=Ethan|work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online|access-date=February 21, 2025}} However, on May 22, 2025, WrestleMania 42 was confirmed to no longer take place in New Orleans. While the specifics of the change were not revealed, this came as part of a bigger agreement, with New Orleans instead hosting a future WrestleMania as well as the 2026 Money in the Bank.{{cite web|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|title=WWE WrestleMania 42 No Longer Taking Place In New Orleans|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/report-wwe-wrestlemania-42-no-longer-taking-place-new-orleans|work=Fightful|date=May 22, 2025|access-date=May 22, 2025}} Reports also emerged alleging that, with the success of the prior year's WrestleMania 41, WrestleMania 42 may return to Las Vegas, while other reports suggest a possible international location, but WWE have yet to make any announcements.{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/report-wrestlemania-42-be-held-las-vegas|title=Report: WrestleMania 42 To Be Held In Las Vegas|date=May 22, 2025|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=May 22, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/wwe/report-new-orleans-no-longer-hosting-wwe-wrestlemania-42|title=New Orleans No Longer Hosting WWE WrestleMania 42 According To Joint Statement|date=May 23, 2025|last=Ucchino|first=Rick|work=Sports Illustrated|access-date=May 31, 2025}}
= Storylines =
The event will include matches that result from scripted storylines. Results are predetermined by WWE on the Raw and SmackDown brands,{{cite web|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|url=https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|work=HowStuffWorks|publisher=Discovery Communications|access-date=March 5, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|archive-date=November 29, 2013|date=January 13, 2006}}{{cite web|title=Live & Televised Entertainment|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|work=WWE|access-date=March 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218142749/http://corporate.wwe.com/company/events.jsp|archive-date=February 18, 2009}} while storylines are produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/wwe-smackdown-live-usa-1201782569/|title=WWE's 'Smackdown' Will Move To Live Broadcast On USA (EXCLUSIVE)|last=Steinberg|first=Brian|date=May 25, 2016|work=Variety|access-date=May 25, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526113045/https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/wwe-smackdown-live-usa-1201782569/|archive-date=May 26, 2016}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania}}
{{2026 WWE Network events}}
{{WWEPPV|WrestleMania}}
Category:2026 WWE Network events
Category:2026 WWE pay-per-view events