WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas to Air First Hour Live on Cable

• For the first time, WrestleMania 42 will broadcast the opening hour of both nights on basic cable
• Following the free hours, domestic streaming moves exclusively to ESPN Unlimited while most international fans get to watch live for free with Netflix subscriptions
• Tickets are still available for the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, ranging from $210 to over $46,000

In one of the most aggressive distribution shifts in its four-decade history,  WWE is lowering its “pay-per-view” barrier for Wrestlemania 42 – at least for an hour.

In a calculated gamble to widen the audience, WWE and its new broadcast partners at TKO Group have announced that the first 60 minutes of each night — April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — will air live on basic cable before disappearing behind ESPN’s new premium streaming tier.

Saturday’s opening hour will air on ESPN2, Sunday’s on the flagship ESPN.

Once the free cable hour ends, the viewing experience will fracture based on geography. In the U.S., the full WrestleMania 42 will transition exclusively to ESPN Unlimited. This premium streaming service — launched in August 2025 for $29.99 per month — is now the exclusive domestic home for all WWE Premium Live Events under the five‑year, $1.6 billion rights deal announced in 2025.

The strategy – marking the definitive end of WWE’s Peacock era – is built to widen the top of ESPN’s funnel as it pushes viewers toward ESPN Unlimited.

Fans in 39 countries other than the U.S. will get to watch both nights of Wrestlemania 42 in full on Netflix, which now serves as WWE’s global streaming partner.

Both nights are scheduled to start 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) — an hour-earlier “Vegas start time” chosen to maximize the cable window and position the opening hour in a stronger ratings slot.

The match card continues to take shape as the event approaches. Confirmed for Sunday night’s main event is World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk defending his title against 2026 Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns. Additional title challengers will be determined during Saturday’s Elimination Chamber match, and Brock Lesnar’s open challenge remains one of the weekend’s unresolved storylines.

Tickets to attend both nights of Wrestlemania 42 remain available on Ticketmaster, including single‑night options from $216 on Saturday and $210 on Sunday for the nosebleeds, to $5,781 on Saturday and $16,000 on Sunday for platinum floor seats, and from $477 to $46,219 for 2-day combo packages.