Backstage Update: WWE Facing Serious Issue 'Internally' For SummerSlam 2026
WWE is dealing with a significant internal problem ahead of SummerSlam, its second-biggest pay-per-view event.
SummerSlam 2026 will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the Aug. 1-2 weekend. U.S. Bank Stadium is the home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, with a capacity of over 66,000.
On Thursday evening, WrestleTix reported that WWE had only sold 22,069 tickets for day one of SummerSlam. Additionally, it was noted on Friday morning that only 23,809 tickets had been sold for day two.
In an update, WrestleVotes reports that the surprisingly low ticket sales have "been a concern internally" in WWE for several weeks now.
The SummerSlam ticket sale story, or lack thereof, has been a hot topic in Stamford over the past month or so.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) July 10, 2026
This isn't a realization that came today. It's been a concern internally for weeks.
TKO has faced significant criticism for increasing ticket prices since the WWE-UFC was completed in Sept. 2023. In October, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics revealed new data, showing that WWE ticket prices have nearly doubled since TKO took ownership.
With only four confirmed matches for the SummerSlam 2026 card so far, it'll be interesting to see if WWE rushes to add more bouts to the card in an effort to sell more tickets quickly.
SummerSlam 2025 Weekend Drew More Than 110,000 Fans
Last year's two-day SummerSlam event was held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Per USA Today, Stephanie McMahon announced that the total attendance over both days was 113,722. Day two of the show had 60,561 fans.
Unfortunately for WWE, it already looks like they'll have a hard time coming anywhere close to matching last year's attendance figures. They have three weeks now to find solutions.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 6:40 PM.