Quick answer: WWE's first John Cena Classic takes place Monday, December 14, 2026, at 6 PM at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. It's a special edition of Monday Night Raw, and it's night one of a two-day WWE takeover that adds an "Avengers: Doomsday" edition of Worlds Collide on Tuesday, December 15. Two-day combo tickets go on sale Friday, November 13, at 10 AM ET on Ticketmaster, with a general presale on Thursday, November 12, at 10 AM ET.
John Cena made the announcement live on Raw in Brooklyn on November 2, and WWE and Disney shared the full two-day plan the next day. If you have a wrestling fan in the family, this is a great excuse to see Disney World decked out for Christmas. Here's what we know and how I'd plan it.
It's a brand-new event that puts WWE's biggest names from Raw and SmackDown against the top up-and-coming stars from NXT. Here's what's been announced so far:
Tickets are sold as two-day combo tickets covering both the John Cena Classic and Worlds Collide. The general presale opens Thursday, November 12, at 10 AM ET, and the public sale starts Friday, November 13, at 10 AM ET on Ticketmaster.com. You can register at WWE.com/CenaClassic to get event updates first. ESPN Wide World of Sports is a smaller venue than the arenas WWE usually fills, so I'd expect seats to go fast.
My advice: don't lock in a nonrefundable trip until you have tickets in hand. A Disney package with a deposit and payment plan gives you room to adjust while you wait on the sale.
The timing is great. Mid-December is one of the prettiest times to visit, and you can easily turn a two-night event into a long weekend.
I'd do the parks Saturday and Sunday with the party Sunday night, take an easy pool morning Monday before the Cena Classic, then do a park morning Tuesday before heading back for Worlds Collide.
ESPN Wide World of Sports sits on the south side of Disney World, so the value resorts nearby are a smart fit. The All-Star Sports pools make it a fun pick for sports fans, and it's one of the closest Disney resorts to the complex.
This isn't the only big sports event coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports, either. The Banana Ball Open in April 2027 is another one to plan a trip around.
I'm a College of Disney Knowledge graduate and I've been booking Disney trips since 2010. My planning is free. I can line up your resort, park days and party night around the show, and set up a payment plan on a package.
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Prefer to book yourself? Grab Discount Tickets for Disney World at Get Away Today (promo code FunParkGo takes $10 off a package) or book a theme park vacation package with Funjet. Want more ways to save? Here's my guide to Disney World discount tickets.
Monday, December 14, 2026, at 6 PM. It's a special edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.
At ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida.
Two-day combo tickets for the John Cena Classic and Worlds Collide go on sale Friday, November 13, at 10 AM ET on Ticketmaster.com. A general presale starts Thursday, November 12, at 10 AM ET.
No. The event is at ESPN Wide World of Sports, not inside a theme park, so you only need an event ticket. You'd need park tickets only if you add park days to your trip.
Cody Rhodes is the first entrant. More wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown and NXT will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.
It streams live on Netflix as a special edition of Monday Night Raw.
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Photo: Disney's Wide World of Sports entrance (now ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex) by BucsWeb, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
