WWE Confirms WWE SmackDown Returning as Weekly 3-Hour Show Starting in January 2026

As noted before, WWE SmackDown has been expected to be moving back as a weekly three-hour show starting with the January 2, 2026 show in Buffalo, New York.

During Friday’s WWE SmackDown show in Wilke-Barre, Pennsylvania, SmackDown commentator Michael Cole officially confirmed that SmackDown will be returning as a weekly three-hour show starting with the first show next year on January 2, 2026.

WWE confirms that SmackDown will return to three hours, starting Jan 2nd.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/SLccExZwao

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) December 13, 2025

Breaking: SmackDown will be 3 hours once again starting 1/2! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/wUQsg6GIht

— USA Network (@USANetwork) December 13, 2025

SmackDown previously ran as a weekly three-hour show from this past January to this past June before switching back to its regular two-hour runtime format for shows afterwards.