WWE has announced that WrestleMania 42 will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on both nights, a shift from the previous year's 7 p.m. start. The event is scheduled for April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Several high-profile matches have been confirmed for the two-night premium live event.
WWE confirmed the updated start times for WrestleMania 42, set to take place on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both nights will start at 6 p.m. Eastern, earlier than the 7 p.m. Eastern start for WrestleMania 41. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque revealed the official graphic for the main event on Thursday, highlighting the change.
The event will air in the United States on ESPN Unlimited, with international broadcasts on Netflix. For the first time, a WWE premium live event will air live on an ESPN broadcast: the first hour of Night 1 on ESPN2 and Night 2 on ESPN. Roman Reigns, who won the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, will face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship as the Night 2 main event.
Confirmed matches include Drew McIntyre defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on the upcoming SmackDown, with the winner facing Randy Orton, victor of the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match. In the women's division, Liv Morgan, the Women’s Royal Rumble winner, will challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship, while Rhea Ripley, the Women’s Elimination Chamber winner, faces Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship. Their rivalry has sparked controversy on social media. Brock Lesnar has issued an open challenge, and a rematch between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship is rumored.
Reports indicate the card could feature up to 16 matches, with WWE creative considering at least six women’s matches across the two nights, five of which are firmly planned. Other potential participants include Intercontinental Champion Penta, United States Champion Giulia, and WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax.
