In a shocking turn of events, WWE has announced a major change to WrestleMania 42.
It has come to light that New Orleans will no longer be hosting the event in 2026. According to a report from Wrestlenomics, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation shared a statement that the city will host the event at a later, as yet unspecified, year.
This news has reportedly also been confirmed by the WWE, as per Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp.
What makes this change more unexpected is that the city was announced as the host earlier this year by none other than Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
However, as indicated in various reports, the city will be hosting the Money In The Bank PLE next year. This follows the recent announcement that the UFC 318 PPV will be held at the Smoothie King Center in the city. According to sources, the events are part of ‘a multi-year, multi-event agreement‘ being discussed between local organizers and the WWE and UFC’s parent company, TKO Group.
Another update from PWInsider stated that the company currently doesn’t have an official replacement location for WrestleMania 42, with belief among many in the WWE being that the annual event may take place at an international destination.
Saudi Arabia, which has hosted PLEs in the past and is scheduled to host next year’s Royal Rumble, is said to be a top contender, but this would be unlikely it is already hosting a flagship PLE.
Mexico is another name that has been popping up in conversations online, given the acquisition of AAA, and it is a territory that the company has always wanted to expand into. Another city that is a popular choice is London, with its Mayor having talks with Triple H and Nick Khan last year to potentially host ‘Mania in 2026.
WWE WrestleMania 42 Could Happen In Las Vegas Again
The announcement has taken talent and fans aback with everyone speculating the reasons and the potential venues for the event next year. While everyone has been throwing in names of their home cities, the common consensus has been that Mania will go international next year, with the PWInsider report further fueling the conversations.
In a new update, from Nola.com, it is rumored that, given the record-breaking numbers achieved in this year’s Mania, WWE plans to hold the event in Las Vegas again to gauge what response they get from the fans.
This update has also been corroborated by Sean Ross Sapp on X (FKA Twitter).
Shortly before 3, someone who used to be tied to WWE said they heard this as well. https://t.co/0yioqSgq5L
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) May 22, 2025
With speculations currently running wild, we’ll continue tracking the developing story and hope for an official confirmation soon.