Dwayne Johnson, AKA, The Rock, made his return to WWE on Friday night’s episode of SmackDown in New Orleans. The Rock was there to make an announcement that was welcome news to the live crowd.
In 2026, the Crescent City will host WWE’s biggest event, WrestleMania, for a third time.
“WrestleMania is coming back to New Orleans,” the Rock, who sits on the board of WWE’s parent company, TKO, said. “We’re gonna make it official right now, in front of the world. Next year, 2026, WrestleMania 42, live from the Superdome in one of the greatest cities on earth, New Orleans, Louisiana.”
You heard @TheRock! #WrestleMania 42 will be LIVE from the @CaesarsDome in New Orleans, Louisiana!
#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/vo4ZHQcgB4— WWE (@WWE) February 22, 2025
New Orleans previously hosted WrestleMania 30 in 2014 and WrestleMania 34 in 2018. Both of those events were also held in the Superdome.
One notable change from the two previous WrestleMania events held in New Orleans is that it’s now a two-day event. WrestleMania 42 will take place on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12.
Another potential change to WrestleMania 42 could be how people can access it. WrestleMania 41 (on April 19-20, 2025) will be the final in WWE’s deal with Peacock, which has streamed every WrestleMania (in addition to all of WWE’s other Premium Live Events) since WrestleMania 37 in 2021.
