WWE Night of Champions 2026 featured a larger than usual Premium Live Event card, and a new report has revealed the decision reportedly came at the request of ESPN.

According to WrestleVotes, ESPN approached WWE ahead of the June 27 event in Saudi Arabia with the idea of expanding the show by adding extra matches. The goal was to strengthen the premium content available through ESPN Unlimited while still offering viewers a free taste of the action on traditional television.

Unlike WWE's recent Premium Live Events, which have typically featured five matches, Night of Champions included six bouts. The opening hour of the show, which aired simultaneously on ESPN and ESPN Unlimited, showcased both tournament finals. In the King of the Ring final, Oba Femi defeated Jey Uso, while IYO SKY captured the Queen of the Ring crown by overcoming Liv Morgan.

The remaining four matches were exclusive to ESPN Unlimited subscribers. That portion of the event included the brutal Steel Cage Match, along with three championship contests. The show concluded with Sami Zayn scoring a major victory over Cody Rhodes and Gunther to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship.

The report adds that ESPN has been pleased with the simulcast approach and is expected to continue airing the opening hour of WWE Premium Live Events on linear television through at least the autumn of 2026. The strategy is designed to attract casual viewers before encouraging them to subscribe to ESPN Unlimited to watch the remainder of each event.

ESPN currently serves as WWE's exclusive Premium Live Event broadcaster in the United States, while fans outside the U.S. continue to watch the events live on Netflix.