WWE’s international expansion is set to reach a new milestone as the company heads to Italy for its first-ever premium live event. In an interview with SportsBusiness, WWE President Nick Khan confirmed that a major stadium show will take place in the country in early 2026.
The move reflects WWE’s broader strategy under the TKO banner to anchor its biggest events on the global stage. Khan emphasized that the approach has already paid off.
“Almost half of our Premium Live Events take place outside of the United States now,” Khan said. “We believe WWE is a global property, we believe the results on these shows, both in terms of attendance and viewership (locally and globally) have been significant. We have seen year-over-year increases for viewership on each one.”
Recent international events have showcased the model’s success, from Clash in Paris to the upcoming Crown Jewel: Perth in Australia, each defined by passionate crowds and strong numbers. Italy has also seen renewed attention from WWE this year, with SmackDown returning to Bologna for the first time in 18 years.
The timing of the announcement is no coincidence. With WWE’s programming rights in Italy set to move to Netflix in 2026, launching with a stadium-level premium live event signals a calculated effort to begin that partnership on the biggest stage possible.