WWE Relocates WrestleMania 42 from New Orleans; Speculation Points towards Las Vegas for the Second Consecutive Year
WRESTLEMANIA 42 SHIFTS FROM NEW ORLEANS TO LAS VEGAS
In a surprise turn of events, the highly-anticipated WWE WrestleMania 42, scheduled for 2026, will no longer be held in New Orleans. Instead, the event is set to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada for the second consecutive year.
Initial plans for the event were announced earlier this year by WWE legend and TKO board member Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, with Caesars Superdome slated as the venue for April 11 and 12, 2026. However, a joint statement from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and TKO revealed a change of plans on Thursday.
Walt Leger, head of New Orleans & Co., revealed that WWE informed sports and tourism officials of the decision this week. The WWE, according to Leger, wants to build on other events scheduled for New Orleans and may bring WrestleMania to the city in some future year.
In its place, New Orleans will host WWE's Money in the Bank premium live event in 2026.
Sources close to the industry have reported that TKO Holdings made the change after deciding that it would be more financially beneficial to hold the event in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium for the second straight year. The success of this year's event reportedly played a significant role in this decision.
As of the latest reports, neither WWE nor local Vegas officials have officially confirmed the news.
This move marks a departure from the norm, as it's been since 1989 that the same city has hosted the event in back-to-back years. The change underscores the evolving nature of WWE, now run by Endeavor Group Holdings, which also owns the UFC. The shift toward business over tradition has been evident, with WrestleMania 41 in 2025, though met with criticism, being the most successful and highest-grossing in company history. The event also reportedly received $4.2 million in tax credits from the state of Nevada.
Despite widespread criticism regarding the main event of last year's WrestleMania, there is anticipation for a better main event next year. The three most highly-anticipated matches include Roman Reigns vs. The Rock, Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock, and Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes III. Given The Rock's absence in last year's main event, it is widely believed that he needs to be in the main event next year to make up for it.
Sources:[1] NOLA.com[2] ESPN[3] Forbes[4] USA Today Sports
(The attached photos show Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium.)
In light of the shift in venue, many sports enthusiasts are hoping to catch the exciting betting opportunities that the upcoming WWE sports events might offer, especially since the success of WrestleMania in Las Vegas last year seems to have influenced the decision to hold it there again in 2026.
This move could potentially mark a new trend for WWE, as it seeks to capitalize on the financial success of hosting major sports events like WrestleMania in venues such as Allegiant Stadium.
