AEW’s Original Creative Plans for 2026 Women’s Owen Hart Cup & AEW Women’s World Title [Update: Clarification on AEW’s Original Plans for AEW Women’s World Title at All In 2026

Update:

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer clarified in Monday’s Daily Update report that AEW officials’ original plans for the AEW Women’s World Championship match at this August’s All In 2026 event would not have been “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Thekla.

Meltzer reported that both Storm and Thekla were planned to be involved in major matches on the show.

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Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that his sources stated that “Timeless” Toni Storm’s sudden abscense due to undisclosed reasons from AEW this past March ended up affecting AEW’s original plans for their Women’s division through this August’s All In 2026 event.

Meltzer reported that those spoken to stated that AEW officials’ original plan was for Storm to win this year’s Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament and challenge Thelka for the AEW Women’s World Championship at All In 2026.

Those plans reportedly were changed following Storm’s sudden exit and AEW officials shifted it over to Willow Nightingale.

Meltzer reported that AEW officials plans for both the Women’s Owen Hart Cup and AEW Women’s World title match were changed again following Nightingale suffering a shoulder injury at the last minute. This injury caused Nightingale to withdraw from the tournament and also relinquish her TBS Championship.

Thekla is currently scheduled to defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against Starlight Kid and Mercedes Mone and Maya World will be facing off against each other in the Finals of this year’s Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Cup tournament at this Sunday’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2026 event in San Jose, California.