Why AEW’s Return To Wembley Stadium Is A Very Bad Idea

AEW has been warned that trying to return to Wembley Stadium in 2026 might not be what’s best for business.

In 2023, AEW put over 80,000 fans in Wembley Stadium for All In, headlined by MJF defending the AEW World Championship against his then-tag team partner Adam Cole. The company returned one year later to Wembley, but any thoughts of getting another record-setting attendance were by then just a pipe dream.

Tony Khan has revealed why AEW wasn’t back in Wembley in 2025, but AEW will be in London for Forbidden Door at The O2 Arena. Khan has stated his ambition to return to Wembley in 2026, but is that really the best idea?

AEW Warned Off Wembley Return

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that with the much smaller O2 Arena yet to sell out in London, a return to Wembley Stadium might be overly ambitious in a year’s time:

They are gonna do Wembley next year, which I don’t think is the best idea. They don’t have the O2 sold out for the only show of the year in London, and if you’re not selling out the O2, I don’t see the point in running Wembley. They did great the first time, they did great the second time, but I think it was pretty clear after the second time that a third time – look, they’ll do 35,000 people the third time but it’s not a lock that they’ll even do 16,000 this year.

Going to a stadium that holds 90,000 when you’re not doing 16,000 – I know Wembley itself is part of the draw and they’ll probably do over 30,000 but I think it’s probably to their benefit to sell out the O2 than try Wembley next year.

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