WrestleMania 42: Saudi Arabia, London come up as favorite locations after New Orleans snub

WrestleMania 42 might be moved to London or Saudi Arabia after WWE said New Orleans has been canceled for now

WrestleMania 42 might not be hosted in the US at all. WWE has snubbed the flagship event's New Orleans venue, providing no reason behind the massive move, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. Meanwhile, two new favorite locations have come up - Saudi Arabia and London. 

John Cena is introduced before his match against Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship during WrestleMania 41 (Getty Images via AFP)

After the New Orleans snub, WWE told USA Today that New Orleans will still host Money in the Bank 2026.

“The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and New Orleans & Company are working closely with our friends at TKO to expand our long-standing partnership. Which will include UFC 318 on July 19, 2025, Money In The Bank in 2026, and WrestleMania, which will move from the currently scheduled 2026 timeframe to a future year,” the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation said in a joint statement with WWE. 

This indicates that the WrestleMania date might be shifted, but New Orleans is still an option. The change comes three months after the dates of the WWE event were announced. During the February 21 episode of SmackDown at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, The Rock appeared and revealed to the audience that WrestleMania 42 would take place at the Caesars Superdome on April 11-12, 2026.

WrestleMania 41 also faced a similar fate. Before Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium was revealed as the location, the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis was widely expected to be the pick.

Where will WrestleMania 42 take place?

While nothing is confirmed, three potential venues have gained traction among fans. 

Indianapolis

Indianapolis is a frontrunner for WrestleMania 42, bolstered by a historic deal to host the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, and SummerSlam at Lucas Oil Stadium. The city successfully drew a massive crowd for the Royal Rumble in January 2025, proving its modern venue’s capability. 

London

London is aggressively pursuing WrestleMania for Wembley Stadium, where 80,000 fans attended SummerSlam 1992, per Forbes. Mayor Sadiq Khan met with WWE’s Triple H and Nick Khan in July 2024 to push the bid. 

Riyadh

Riyadh, set to host the 2026 Royal Rumble, may offer substantial funding to secure WrestleMania, per Bleacher Report.