AEW All Out 2026 needs to leave Chicago behind for good

The Windy City obsession is killing the momentum

AEW returning to the NOW Arena for All Out 2026 feels like a creative dead end. We have seen this movie, and the ending is always the same: a divided crowd, a weirdly hostile atmosphere, and a show that feels like a retread of 2021.

Chicago defined the early era of the company. The debut of CM Punk at the First Dance remains the peak for many, but that energy has curdled into something else entirely. When the company tries to force a homecoming in a market that has been oversaturated since the inception of the promotion, the product suffers.

The venue problem

The NOW Arena is simply not the stadium-caliber destination a flagship pay-per-view deserves. While the official ticket announcements highlight the convenience of the location, convenience is the enemy of spectacle. Compare this to the massive stadiums WWE fills for SummerSlam or even the scale AEW achieved at Wembley for All In.

We are talking about a show that should be a worldwide event. Instead, we are looking at a mid-sized venue that forces the production team to scale back on the grandeur. It feels small. It feels like an episode of Collision with a higher price point.

Missing the chance to expand

AEW needs to stop leaning on the crutch of reliable, loyal markets. Taking the show to the Pacific Northwest, the deep South, or even venturing back into the Canadian market would provide a much-needed jolt to the roster. If you look at the recent ticket sales trends, fans are clearly signaling that they want fresh scenery.

The booking has also struggled to find its footing when the audience is this polarized. You end up with matches like the 2023 main event between Jon Moxley and Orange Cassidy, which was a technical masterclass, being overshadowed by the crowd's vocal disdain for the booking direction. That is not fair to the workers in the ring.

The cost of complacency

Ticket prices for All Out 2026 are hovering at a premium, yet the experience remains stagnant. You are paying for the same lighting rig, the same entrance tunnel, and the same chants that have been echoing off these walls for five years. Wrestling is meant to evolve, and this venue choice represents a refusal to move forward.

There is a real danger in becoming a nostalgia act for your own history. By staying in the same zip codes, the promotion is signaling that it is comfortable with its current ceiling. If Tony Khan wants to prove that the company is still a legitimate challenger to the global market leaders, he needs to take the risk of going where the fans have not already seen it all three times over.

The bottom line

At $150 for a nosebleed seat in a building that lacks modern amenities, the value proposition is slim. The company has a roster deeper than any in history, capable of putting on a five-star classic on any given night. Let them perform in front of a fresh crowd in a new city. Stop playing to the ghosts of 2021 and start building the future of 2026.