ESPN Streams WWE WrestleMania 42 From Las Vegas

WrestleMania 42 is here — and for the first time in the event's 42-year history, it is streaming on ESPN in the United States. Two nights, two massive championship main events, 65,000 fans packed inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and a broadcast deal that changes how WWE reaches its audience forever. Here is your complete guide to everything you need to know this weekend. A Historic First: WrestleMania on ESPN This weekend marks a watershed moment for both WWE and sports broadcasting in the United States. WrestleMania 42 is the first-ever WrestleMania to stream on the ESPN App — ending a years-long era on the WWE Network and Peacock, and placing professional wrestling's biggest annual event alongside the NFL, NBA, and college football on America's most prominent sports platform. The shift came after Peacock's agreement with WWE — which was based on a fixed number of events rather than a fixed end date — was exhausted ahead of schedule due to WWE's expanding calendar, including two-night WrestleManias since 2021 and the expansion of SummerSlam in 2025. With Peacock's contract fulfilled, ESPN stepped in as the new home of WWE Premium Live Events in the United States, beginning with WrestleMania 42. This is also the first WrestleMania not to air on the WWE Network since the streaming service launched in 2014. The Network has since been permanently shut down in all remaining countries as of April 1, 2026. The ESPN era of WWE begins now. How to Watch WrestleMania 42 In the United States — ESPN App (ESPN Unlimited): WrestleMania 42 streams exclusively on the ESPN App, available with an ESPN Unlimited plan — either subscribed to directly or accessed through a traditional pay TV package. The following TV providers may already include ESPN Unlimited in your existing package: Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo, Spectrum, and Verizon Fios. If you are a subscriber to any of these services, you may be able to watch WrestleMania simply by linking your TV provider to the ESPN app and signing in with a MyDisney account. Note that YouTube TV — the largest live TV streaming provider in the United States — does NOT carry WrestleMania 42 through ESPN Unlimited. Disney Bundle: WrestleMania 42 is also accessible via the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle. Plans start at $16.99/month with ads or $29.99/month ad-free. Internationally — Netflix: Outside the United States, WrestleMania 42 streams live on Netflix in all regions where Netflix carries WWE programming. Every WrestleMania in history is also available to stream via the WrestleMania Vault on Netflix. Free on Linear TV (First Hour Only): For the first time ever, the opening hour of each night airs live on cable TV at no additional cost. Night 1 (Saturday April 18) begins at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN2. Night 2 (Sunday April 19) begins at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN. After the first hour, all remaining coverage moves exclusively to the ESPN App. Weekend Schedule • Saturday April 18 — 3:00 PM ET: WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Kickoff Show (ESPN App) • Saturday April 18 — 6:00 PM ET: Night 1 Opening Hour — FREE on ESPN2 (cable) • Saturday April 18 — 7:00 PM ET onwards: Night 1 Full Event — ESPN App exclusive • Saturday April 18 — Night 1 Main Event: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton — Undisputed WWE Championship • Sunday April 19 — 3:00 PM ET: WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Kickoff Show (ESPN App) • Sunday April 19 — 6:00 PM ET: Night 2 Opening Hour — FREE on ESPN (cable) • Sunday April 19 — 7:00 PM ET onwards: Night 2 Full Event — ESPN App exclusive • Sunday April 19 — Night 2 Main Event: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns — World Heavyweight Championship • Monday April 20 — 8:00 PM ET: Monday Night Raw After WrestleMania (Netflix) Full Match Card Night 1 — Saturday April 18 (Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas) • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton — Undisputed WWE Championship [MAIN EVENT — ESPN App Only] • Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley — WWE Women's Championship • Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan — Women's World Championship • AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch — Women's Intercontinental Championship • LA Knight, Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso vs. Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed — Six-Man Tag Team Match [ESPN2 Opening Hour] • Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu — Unsanctioned Match [ESPN2 Opening Hour] Night 2 — Sunday April 19 (Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas) • CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns — World Heavyweight Championship [MAIN EVENT — ESPN App Only] • Seth Rollins vs. Gunther — Singles Match • Penta (c) vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Rusev vs. Rey Mysterio — Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match [ESPN Opening Hour] • Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar — Singles Match [ESPN Opening Hour] Why Las Vegas — And Why Again? WrestleMania 42 was originally scheduled for the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on April 11–12, 2026. The change came after the spectacular financial success of WrestleMania 41, which — combined with the Riyadh Season's Canelo vs. Crawford boxing event — delivered $626 million in economic impact for Las Vegas in 2025. The city submitted a higher bid to bring WrestleMania back for a second consecutive year, and WWE accepted, relocating the event to Allegiant Stadium and pushing the date back one week. This makes WrestleMania 42 the third WrestleMania ever held in the Las Vegas area — following WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace in 1993 and WrestleMania 41 in 2025 — and the first time in history the same venue has hosted back-to-back WrestleManias. New Orleans will host a future WrestleMania as part of the relocation agreement, and will also host the 2026 Money in the Bank event. ESPN's Full On-Site Coverage ESPN's presence in Las Vegas this weekend extends far beyond the broadcast itself. The network has embedded a full team across Allegiant Stadium, WWE World, Toshiba Plaza, and Dolby Live at Park MGM throughout WrestleMania week. SportsCenter anchors Randy Scott, Gary Striewski, Treavor Scales, and Joe Fortenbaugh are delivering live reporting, fan engagement, and behind-the-scenes storytelling throughout the week. First Take broadcast live from Allegiant Stadium on Friday, April 17, featuring Stephen A. Smith, Shae Cornette, and Kendrick Perkins. No Contest Wrestling, hosted by O'Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Jefferson, aired Thursday and Friday on ESPN2. WWE Superstars making appearances across ESPN platforms this week include Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Rhea Ripley, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, AJ Lee, Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Trick Williams, Jade Cargill, Dominik Mysterio, and Drew McIntyre. Studio talent includes Joe Tessitore, Peter Rosenberg, and Big E. Fan experiences include a WWE-themed wedding ceremony officiated by The Miz, interactive installations inside WWE World, and a co-branded ESPN/WWE Tunnel Entrance. Grammy-nominated artist Joe Jonas performs the National Anthem on Night 2. John Cena hosts both nights. What This Means for the Future of WWE Broadcasting The move to ESPN is the latest chapter in WWE's ongoing transformation from a niche pay-per-view product to a mainstream sports media property. The company's programming is now split across Netflix (Raw, international WrestleMania), ESPN (US Premium Live Events), and its own digital channels — a structure that mirrors how major sports leagues distribute their content across multiple platforms to maximise reach. For fans, the practical implication is clear: WrestleMania is now accessible through the same app and subscription that carries the NBA Playoffs, College Football Playoff, and Monday Night Football. The integration signals that WWE, under TKO Group Holdings, is firmly positioning professional wrestling as a mainstream sports entertainment product — not a niche alternative. For ongoing sports coverage, streaming guides, and entertainment news, follow Digital8Hub at digital8hub.com — your source for the events shaping culture and sport in 2026. Sources & Further Reading • ESPN Press Room: ESPN to stream its first WWE WrestleMania (April 2026) • WWE.com: WrestleMania 42 official match card and schedule • Netflix Tudum: WrestleMania 42 — date, card, streaming details • Wikipedia: WrestleMania 42 • Yahoo Sports: Every live TV provider that carries WrestleMania 42 via ESPN Unlimited • Disney+: How to watch WrestleMania 42 • Digital8Hub Sports Coverage: digital8hub.com