Peacock Losing Major Programming in 2026

WWE has reached a landmark agreement with ESPN. In a press release, it was announced that ESPN, which is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, and WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc., confirmed a landmark rights agreement as ESPN platforms, including the new ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, will become the exclusive U.S. domestic home of all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, beginning in 2026. 

This means ESPN will now be the home all of WWE events of the year. This includes WrestleMania and SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, Money in the Bank.

“WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fanbase that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform,” Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN said in a statement. “This agreement, which features the most-significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.”

Mark Shapiro, President and Chief Operating Officer, TKO, added, “We are proud to reinforce the ‘E’ in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey. WWE Premium Live Events are renowned for exactly the type of rich storytelling, incredible feats of athleticism and can’t-miss, cultural tentpole experiences that have become synonymous with ESPN. Through our UFC relationship, we have experienced firsthand how transformational an ESPN presence can be, and we know this will be an exceptional partnership at a time of great innovation for both companies.”

Nick Khan, President, WWE, chimed in, “WWE’s agreement with ESPN is a pivotal moment for our millions of fans across the United States: the leader in sports entertainment partnering with the biggest brand in sports media. Bringing WWE’s flagship events to ESPN’s platform is tremendously exciting. We know the sky is the limit.”

Peacock has been home of many WWE events. The Hollywood Reporter notes WWE has traded in their current Peacock deal in favor of the forthcoming ESPN app. The new deal is with $325 million annually vs. $180 million from Peacock.