AEW All In Wembley 2026 | Roundtable

Welcome to the #PWMRoundtable, a discussion where PWM contributors weigh in on their views, this week on the rapidly-approaching AEW show at Wembley stadium. These conversations will range from the serious to the silly and from the latest controversy to questions from deep in wrestling history. Anything pro-wrestling related is fair game, the only limitations being that the debate remain friendly and that we bring some insight that makes it worth your time as a reader

This week’s contributors are Sir Sam, Sergei and Sam Preston, also with quick takes from Lauren. Our moderator organizing it all is Sergei.

 A page of links to prior installments may be found here: #Roundtable

We'd love for this and any and all of our content to be the beginning of a conversation with our readers. To interact with any and all of our contributors please accept our invitation to join the Pro Wrestling Musings Community Discord.

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The All In 2026 Roundtable

moderated by Sergei.

For the first four years of AEW, there was no big annual show, but instead the big four: Double or Nothing, All Out, Full Gear, and Revolution – and endless debates about which was maybe the most important (the answer was Revolution.) But then in Summer of 2023, AEW did the unthinkable and booked a stadium show, and not just any stadium, Wembley… and proceeded to set attendance records.

Since then, All In has been for AEW their own version of a Starrcade, a Jan 4th Tokyo Dome Supershow, or a WrestleMania. This Sunday, AEW All In returns for the fourth year, this time back at Wembley (after a detour to Texas last year to coronate a cowboy…)

So this Roundtable takes a look at the matches scheduled, and asks if they live up to what a big annual show should be?

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Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné

by Sir Sam.

This is the most unpredictable World Title match in AEW since the women’s World Championship Match at last year’s All In.

In one corner, a beloved face champion cresting the biggest wave of popularity the AEW women’s division has ever seen and in the other, the uncrowned queen, the best women’s wrestler to ever come out of North America, the biggest name on the women’s roster but someone who has never held the AEW Women’s World Championship.

Where the men’s World Championship match has felt like a planned coronation since All In 2024, yet somehow managed to fall, trip and slip on its face in the closing months, this match almost came out of the blue but has built into something very special. Every time Willow or Mercedes have crossed paths since Willow won the World Championship at Redemption, they have managed to increase the stakes, make the match feel more personal, and get louder and louder responses from a crowd desperate to get behind the new champion.

I tell you I do not envy Tony Khan trying to make the decision on who should win this at All In. With the way fans have got behind her and how defiantly she has declared she will smile in the face of anything, Willow feels like she is on the cusp of something huge, something that could be solidified with the win at All In. And yet… part of the reason that it feels this way is because on the other side, Mercedes Moné has been undeniable, bringing all the star power, all the arrogance, and all the history to this feud. This belt remains the final jewel Moné has yet to win, and Willow now a career rival she must overcome, all at the event where she failed to win the championship last year.

Denying the division's top star yet again could feel like tempting fate, and yet if it were me, I think I’d tempt it anyway. With the win I’d try to solidify Willow as a true top woman in the division and push Moné’s coronation back at least a few months… but I don’t think the opposite path would be wrong, either.

Lastly, this match should be rewarded with pride of place as the co-main event and given plenty of time. As All In has drawn closer, this is the program that has truly captured fans' hearts and is the one that has us all second-guessing ourselves.

Lauren: I really want Willow to win, but today's news about her hand injury is making me worry. Mercedes is a legend, but she has also been incredibly generous with building up other women in AEW and beyond, so I don't think it’s too far-fetched to hope Willow walks out of Wembley with both the title and the continuation of an epic rivalry, but now I'm not so sure. This isn't to say I'd be upset if Mercedes won, but my heart is always with Willow.

Sam P: I think the fact so many are struggling to choose between Willow and Mercedes is a fair reflection of how well they’ve both been booked over the last few years in terms of earning the respect and adoration of the audience. Part of me wonders whether this truly was the original plan, considering the long-term injury to Toni Storm, and brief injuries to Willow herself, as it seemingly would have made more sense for Willow to be challenging Mercedes. But maybe the decision to have Willow be champion is to give her a deserved moment on top before Mercedes goes on a long title reign? Head says Mercedes. Heart wishes for Willow.

Sergei: I have always been high on Willow Nightingale – one of my all-timers – and I've never been as high on Mercedes as some. But she is one of the biggest wrestling stars in the world, and at this point I believe it's just her time. She's done her time in the wilderness, she's done “coming up short.” She needs to be World Champion now. Willow can hold onto the moral victory that no matter what Mercedes does, she can never take her smile…

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Cage & Copeland vs. The Young Bucks

Lauren: I wish the build was better, though the last two weeks and Christian's animosity have put me more at ease on that front. I wish we had longer for the Bucks and Christian to have a petty bitch-off while Cope stares into the middle distance and wonders what his life has become, but we have what we have. I know the match is going to be good, but I'm not the most enthused for it, which is a wild thought considering I love both the Bucks and C&C.

Sam P: I’m sure this will be good. Maybe even very good. But I just feel a little underwhelmed. Maybe I allowed myself to get too excited over the idea of a Ladder Match, or the inclusion of FTR or Motor City Machine Guns. But at the moment, I think I need the match itself to get excited.

Sir Sam: When Matt asked Christian this week if anyone named a company after them, the little Elite mark in me started running laps, punching the air. It will be nice for such a ‘legendary’ tag team to have their first great non-gimmick tag match.

Sergei: I get that this is supposed to be a dream match, I can appreciate the concept behind it… However… Christian Cage’s unrelenting petty-cuntitude is the only reason I care about this at all lol

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Men's Casino Gauntlet

by Sam Preston.

Deep down, when it comes to wrestling, I’m a very simple man. Royal Rumbles, Casino Gauntlets, tell me about any matches where multiple stars enter in staggered entrances, including a possible surprise appearance, and I’m throwing my money at you. There’s a reason why I gladly wrote an article about a local charity show that had a Mid-Season Rumble. Now, having attended AEW All In: London in 2023 and 2024, plus already preparing to attend this year, one of my favourite matches in 2024 was the Casino Gauntlet, a fact I know others may find controversial. But getting to see so many favourites appear, plus surprise appearances from individuals such as Nigel McGuinness, Zack Sabre Jr, Ricochet… these were live experiences I will always appreciate.

Now this year, the amount of surprises could include names such as Ilja Dragunov, Alexander Hammerstone, Killer Kross (hopefully not), Steve Maclin, maybe even Trent Seven. But more than that, it’s the story opportunities that the Casino Gauntlet offers, allowing a contract to challenge the AEW World Champion for a title shot at a time of their choosing. Of the three to win this opportunity so far, Christian Cage has failed (a decision that still infuriates me), Athena didn’t succeed, but MJF used it to suddenly return himself to the AEW World title picture and win it at AEW World’s End 2025. That’s three upper to main event stars… but what if this year offers a different kind of opportunity?

Currently announced are MJF, Andrade El Idolo, Tommaso Ciampa, Chris Jericho and Mark Davis, a mixture of two former World Champions, a former TNT champion, former National champion, and current National Champion. There are a wide range of names that could also appear, maybe Jack Perry, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Mike Bailey, returns from Buddy Matthews, Wardlow, Josh Alexander, Adam Cole(there will be fucking tears) … but it seems pre-ordained for MJF to win to challenge Ospreay. Personally, I’d like to use the contract for someone less likely, someone who could use it to be elevated to World Championship level, like Jay White or the previously mentioned Andrade. Jay could use it to turn heel and beat Ospreay, or Andrade could use it after moving on from the National Championship. More than anything, can we make the All-In Casino Gauntlet their version of the G1, or the Royal Rumble?

Sir Sam: I have no idea who is going to take this one but can absolutely get on board with a Jay White win if it means him renewing hostilities with Will Ospreay, they have fantastic in-ring chemistry.

Sergei: I love Max, but frustrated and aggrieved Max >>> than smug and entitled Max, so I completely agree with Sam P that his self-declared pre-ordination as contract holder again should be disappointed. And that it would be cool to have someone surprising win. Definitely do NOT agree that Switchblade or Andrade count as dark horses here. Even if they haven't been in the World Title picture, they've always been on the cusp. It would be awesome to see someone you'd never picture on that level get the shock win. I'm here for Andrade, but nobody’s beating Ospreay for a hot minute, so let's distract him from the World title with a grudge feud (with Max) after this until it's actually time for him to not just fight for the World title, but win it!

Lauren: I don't really have any strong feelings about this match. I know I'll enjoy it, but I don't particularly care who wins; this is more me sitting back and waiting to be pleasantly surprised. I'm curious about debuts and returns, but not champing at the bit for anything much. I'd also like a surprise winner, though I'm also not holding my breath.

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Continental Challenge Cup

by Sergei.

If y'all have been reading #AEWeekly (and you should!) you might be aware that I've been a bit taken with the work that Nigel McGuinness has been putting in (both in the ring and on the mic) the last couple of weeks. HOWEVER, let it be noted that (purely in-ring) I was enjoying the brilliant and sneaky Nigel of the Shibata match more than the desperate and lucky Nigel of the subsequent rounds…

Although the Hechicero and KOR matches were still amazing, I feel that Nigel’s real-life injury robbed us of what might've been truly dazzling masterpieces between a couple of uniquely well-matched pairings. But for the final, I think we'll be seeing “desperate but doomed” Nigel, and that's one of the modes he works best in – just look to his futile attempt to scale Mount Danielson at Grand Slam ‘24.

All In is all about sending the crowd home happy with hometown favorites overcoming the odds. But every rule needs an exception.

Lauren: I was hoping for either a surprise or Mox vs. Eddie, so my expectations are already dead and gone. I'm still a Mox girl, but I think he’s at his best without a title, working through his own goals. I'd like Nigel to win this just because I love him getting his flowers in his later years. I'm holding back my expectations for the match quality due to his injury, but at the same time, both men are creative and dedicated enough that I think they'll be able to do some creative workarounds.

by Sam P.

Currently, the only way this match could get me interested would be if Bryan Danielson walked out to reveal himself as the Special Guest Referee. The reason why is, possible controversial opinion, but I’ve not been a fan of Jon Moxley as Continental Champion. I’ve never understood the decision to have him win it at World’s End, it seemed a completely nonsensical decision considering he looked to finally be on a downward spiral, only to suddenly win a title again that negates the Death Riders interfering when that was the only reason he kept the World Title.

And then the title matches at PPVs seemed pretty much set up  for him to beat wrestlers who would have gained more either winning the title themselves, or doing something else, like Takeshita, Ospreay (I also hate the Death Riders storyline, it’s been my least favourite part of AEW since 2025), Bandido, and the most infuriating, Kyle O’Reilly, who could have been massively elevated by beating Moxley for the title. Even the Continental Cup has been disappointing, as this supposedly “inspired by the FA Cup” tournament has the reigning champion likely keeping the title, something that’s only occurred in the FA Cup about 12 times out of 153 opportunities.

Moxley? 1 out of 1. I would have loved to have seen a shock giant killing and have Moxley eliminated within the first two rounds – blow the tournament up with opportunities. Instead, Moxley continues doing his best impression of Bob Holly as booker: “why don't you give me the belt. And then I beat everybody.”

Sir Sam: I’ve been diving into some old Nigel McGuiness tapes for two upcoming episodes of my podcast and I’ll say that if he comes out with the spiky blonde tips, he should take the tough white boy belt home.

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Divine Dominion vs. The Brawling Birds

For championships that hold possibly the least prestige of any of the titles that will be defended at All In this year, the Women’s Tag Title Match has proved to be one of the most well-built matches on the card.

The problem with the women’s division in AEW has always been TV time. Be it Tony Khan himself not being interested in the division or him acting at the whims of TV executives handing down orders, for much of AEW’s existence, women have struggled to regularly get featured on AEW TV, especially when they aren’t in a singles championship feud.

My idealised version of the build-up to this match would have seen both teams face stiffer competition on the road to facing one another or even have The Birds fail to beat The Divine Dominion once or twice before a final blow off. However, what this build up has managed to achieve with the series of squash matches each team has run through over the last six months, is effectively spotlighting four of the division’s strongest acts for a sustained period when they aren’t in top singles programs and ensuring they are getting regular time on screen. 

Is the story complex? No. Am I digging into layers of character and subtext? Absolutely not – but wrestling doesn’t always have to be a three-act play.

On a card where it is clear the build up to a number of matches has been so  over-thought, it is evident by my excitement for this match that sometimes great wrestling can be simple, sometimes it is best left as two scrappy, fired-up hometown fighters running as hard as they can at a dominant force for ten minutes. If they don’t try to do a long epic and just throw bombs for ten minutes, with a hot British crowd behind Hayter and Windsor, this match could be the surprise package of the night.

Also raise a glass to the AEW women's division and those that support them creatively. They face so much unfair criticism from outside the company and unfair limitations within it, yet at the biggest show of the year the two most effectively built matches are both representing that division.

Sam P: I’m a big fan of the idea that when several singles stars aren’t being utilised, move them into the Tag or Trios division, and have them heavily involved to make the titles feel important enough that even singles stars want it. Omega and Hangman, Swerve and Keith Lee, Darby and Sting, etc. Here, they have a good chance of having a ten minute banger full of bombs and crown new champions, with future battles maybe at All Out in a gimmick match. Last Women Standing Tag Team match?

Sergei: I can appreciate everything Sir Sam is saying – a tag feud certainly gives more wrestlers time on screen showing their strengths than could be accomplished separately. But both teams (and the pairing of the four of them in a feud) feels like far less than the sum of the parts to me. Should be a short fun match with a feel-good ending, which will be good for the pace and tone of the show, for sure…

Lauren: Remember when Dynasty was in Canada, and only one Canadian (KOR via the Conglomeration) won that night? I was kind of expecting the same for All In, but with the Brawling Birds as the sole British winners. But Nigel being in the Cup finals is making me doubt that. I really dig Divine Dominion, but their reign has been somewhat disappointing to me, filled as it was with mostly less than five minute matches. I'd be fine if they both concentrated on singles runs and let the Birds do their thing. I'm just asking for one thing: please can we get a longer match with these women and actually show what they can do?

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Kevin Knight vs. Darby Allin

Sam P: I think they are going to go down the Stadium Stampede route, by having them begin wrestling backstage, and make their way to the ring. I can already imagine Darby being thrown down a flight of stairs… for a full minute!... or Kevin Knight doing his UFO off a Concessions Stand. I can’t help but feel, if Knight loses, and the Casino Gauntlet hasn’t happened yet, he will make a surprise appearance there…

Sir Sam: I am imagining Darby pitching falls-count-anywhere so he can climb the Wembley arch. It would only be the third craziest thing he has done this year. Looking forward to it.

Sergei: (Lol @ Sir Sam – the craziest part is, that's not even an exaggeration!) The Coffin match is Darby’s signature match, but a falls-count-anywhere is very much his wheelhouse. Between Darby’s mastery of this style, Jet's unmatched athleticism, and being real-world friends who will bust ass to make each other look good, this should be a corker. The part I'm really intrigued by is wondering what role el Hijo del Sting may play!

Lauren: I've had a conspiracy theory for a while now that Kevin is a double agent working toward the destruction of the Don Callis Family. That said, Darby did blow him up with a backpack bomb that one time, so I can understand being angry. All In tends to play things safe, so I'm not expecting the bloodbath I think we could expect if this match was set for All Out, but I think Kevin and Darby can play enough nasty tricks on each other that this should be good. And I agree with Sir Sam that Darby is going to jump off of something absurdly high.

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Fletcher vs. Takeshita vs. Okada

Sam P: Possible match of the night contender, right here. I feel the story needs to be Takeshita finally vanquishing both Okada and Fletcher, moving on, and the Don Callis Family starting to fragment. Fletcher and Okada leading opposing teams in Blood ‘N’ Guts filled with just Don Callis Family members? Yes please.

Sir Sam: Could Kazuchika Okada be a better jerk? I could care less about Takeshita in this match but the interactions between Kyle and Okada have been so fun to watch! As much as I love my fellow countryman, I really hope that this match ends with Okada forcing Kyle to raise his hand. (Only for the family of course though!)

Lauren: While this match has had comparatively little build and relied mostly on audience knowledge of the history, I'm really looking forward to it. All three of these men are very large, very handsome, very talented, and very full of resentment and ego. I’m a big fan of drama and mess, and this has the potential to be the messiest of all. My heart is going for Takeshita, but the little goblin that lives in my brain wants Okada to win for the continued DCF collapse.

Sergei: I want Callis’s idiotic house of cards to just fucking FALL already. I want it SO BADLY.

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HungBroDido vs. The World

by Sam Preston.

I’ve mentioned above already how much I enjoy matches like Casino Gauntlets or Royal Rumbles, so a Trios Roulette match, again, is right up my alleyway. This seems an opportunity to include some big names, such as champions Hangman Page and Brodido, Ricochet, Conglomeration, Death Riders, and Jay White. But the big inclusion of the match, and the one that has many peoples’ interest, is the Wild Card Entry. 

The theory so far, unsurprisingly, is that the entrances at least, maybe not the match, will appear on the Kick-Off Show, with the final entrant being Swerve Strickland, who would then introduce Kofi and Austin Creed, then cut to the PPV. This could be an awesome method to get fans who haven’t bought the PPV yet to do so, and a similar gimmick has been used before by TK. 

The Battle Royal style will allow other storylines to progress, such as between Bang Bang Gang and The Dogs, Death Riders and Conglomeration, or open up new opportunities. It’s likely the final two teams will be HangDido and Swerve Day, but I guess it depends on whether all three members have to be eliminated, or just one. That may need slight clarity. Either way, I could see HangDido and Swerve Day going on to face one another at AEW All Out, 28 days later.

Sir Sam: Two weeks ago it seemed very clear where this was going. Now I don’t know if even Tony Khan knows what is actually happening. One thing is certain though, if Hangman is involved, it will be worth watching.

Sergei: All I'm saying is: I ain't booing my Unicorn boys… even if they spit in Hangman's face. Heelish is the obvious role for them based on the story they're parachuting into? But AEW needs to account for the fact that ain't nobody buying into that!

Lauren: This match is going to be a mess, but hopefully in a good way. There's so many teams involved, the potential for a huge debut, and it's been announced as being on the Buy-In. I'm guessing they're using it as the hook to pull in undecided viewers, giving us all the entrances and then doing the actual bulk of the match as the actual start of the show, but it still feels weird. I'd like HungBrodido to keep the titles a little longer, but I don't think I'll have any particular heartache over any of the other teams winning, either.

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Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay

by Sergei.

A lot of the talk about the two World Championship divisions (Men's and Women's – sorry, Tags) has depicted their respective builds as a study in contrasts. One came out of nowhere, but built to a fever pitch of anticipation. While the other was predestined for years it seems, yet the storytelling has (for a lot of folks) let out the air for any anticipation or excitement. I don't want anyone to feel that I'm telling them how to be a wrestling fan, or that I'm just knee-jerk defending anything and telling them to eat their gruel and pretend to like it….

But for me, the two stories have more comparisons than contrasts… Both main events are about a champion who surprisingly leapfrogged into the scene by wresting the World title from a dominant champion only a few weeks before the biggest show of the year (when we normally wouldn't expect a changeup.) And in both cases, that new Champ is looked at as an underdog going into Wembley (despite the fact that a loss would make their reign shorter than we usually see) because the challenger in both cases is someone who joined the company as massive free agent signings two years ago, and rather than being hotshotted, they both have paid their All Elite dues by holding secondary titles and giving the rub of their stardom and high regard to previous World Champions by failing in their first challenge.

Sunday seems to inevitably be both challengers’ time, and that sense of inevitability lends itself more to an antagonist than someone for the crowd to get behind. After all, everybody loves an underdog. Which works out fine for Mercedes, who fans love to hate anyhow. But for Ospreay – everybody loves a hometown hero, too. And that has left the Men's World title storyline starting from a tough spot.

On top of that, they needed to create friction between him and the Champion, also babyface, (at the beginning of their feud, at least) and an especially beloved one… and that's inherently going to lead to situations where folks might find Ospreay's actions and choices (and brief hesitation!) somewhat unsympathetic. But I can't help but think that some of the disdain that's been aimed at the Billy Goat is based less on the actual actions of the character and more on … Kenny-dolatry, perhaps. I feel like a reminder is warranted – that the Kenny Omega who desperately wants to cement his legacy by retaining the AEW Men's World Championship at Wembley stadium? …is a fictional character. The real human being behind “Kenny Omega” who we rightly love would very much like to successfully put over and give a rub to an opponent who he sees as the future of the company that Kenny built from the ground up.

Not that my differing perspective is entirely your bias (dear imaginary reader… and Sir Sam!) … I'm also biased… and/or have differing tastes or values. From Ospreay's first big AEW promo – when he impressed me so much that I said “... Ospreay has so much of The Feeling, he's practically glowing”... I have always found the Will Ospreay character sympathetic and appealing and have always given his (in character!) actions the benefit of the doubt – whether that be giving tentative trust to a sworn enemy claiming he can help… or (momentarily!) hesitating before making the right choice about taking a dishonorable shortcut.

Fundamentally, this match is a coronation for Will Ospreay, and the first question for the storytellers regarding how to build to that crowning was who would work best to pass the torch to him – Kenny? or Max? Both men have advantages and disadvantages for that role. With Max, the lines of alignment sympathy would've been clearer. But with Omega… first off, Kenny gets (probably) one great last run (even if brief)... And Ospreay gets to claim that his ascent to the top was over the VERY best. And I think that's worth a little less alignment clarity.

Sam P: This match will be awesome, no question. But the involvement of the Death Riders at points has left me wanting to bang my head against the wall. This feels like a WWE booking where instead of a simple, based-on-history battle between two men, they have to include random turns, intruding individuals – all stuff that isn’t relevant. If Death Riders get involved in the match itself, it’ll be a shit cherry on my gorgeous sundae. What I want is beforehand for it to be announced that all individuals are banned from ringside, with maximum penalties (stripped of titles, suspensions, fines, all of it), and just allow two of the best in the world, do what AEW is supposed to represent. Wrestle.

Sir Sam: So this is how we end the glorious, triumphant face championship run of the legendary founder of the company who came back from the dead? Seven weeks, four of which he has had to turn himself heel for. I apologise for my bitterness, but I cannot just take this as presented and hide my frustration at how a program that should have been an easy Wembley goal has lobbed it so hard over the crossbar. From the Death Riders ridiculous involvement, to Kenny being given barely even a gold watch, to now Will progressively becoming more and more unlikeable as each week has gone by. Let's not forget either this is the third Wembley main event in a row that has been actively undermined by a terrible build. The bell to start this match can not come soon enough even if its ceiling is the greatest match ever wrestled.

Lauren: I was mostly happy with the build coming into this, but I also think that the focus on this detracted attention and time from some of the other stories. I'm also hoping that Kenny wins. Ospreay winning feels overly telegraphed to me, and also the gremlin that lives in my brain wants the mess of the fallout of Ospreay losing. Ospreay's felt a bit of a mess himself, lately; he's both trying to be the earnest good guy come home, while also focusing so much on himself that he's become a bad friend: to Kenny, to Swerve, to the United Empire, etc. Likewise, Kenny's health is always a concern. His current reign is noticeable for its lack of actual competition: he beat MJF, beat Kevin Knight, and the only other matches he's been in are two trios matches where the onus isn't on him to carry it forward. It's going to be an amazing match, of that I have no doubt, but it's not the one I'm most looking forward to.

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As you've read, contributors to this Roundtable have a wide range of views on AEW All In: London 2026 – especially regarding what to expect and how pleased we are about it leading up to Sunday's high-stakes main event. (Much like most years, really) the build to All In this year has been divisive and contentious. But in spite of all that, I think we can all agree that the show itself should be explosive (again, much like prior editions of AEW’s annual showcase.)

However Sunday night should go, come Wednesday it will be time for AEW to start a brand new storytelling year, and you can expect to see some interesting new ideas coming into play for how PWM will be covering that every week in the #AEWeekly – a new format that should better reflect the variety of perspectives among our team. We look forward to you joining us on that journey!