The Winter Olympics are set to disrupt WWE's SmackDown programming on USA Network. With NBCUniversal holding the media rights for the Olympics in the U.S. since 1988 (Summer Games) and 2002 (Winter Games), and the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, upcoming episodes of SmackDown will be bumped. Post Wrestling confirmed the changes with network officials, revealing that the first post-Royal Rumble episode will air on USA before the channel becomes 24/7 Olympics coverage. However, the shows on February 13th and the following Friday will air on SyFy. SmackDown will return to USA Network on February 27th for the Elimination Chamber go-home episode from Louisville, Kentucky. This temporary shift highlights the challenges of balancing popular TV programming with major sporting events, leaving fans to adjust their DVR settings accordingly.
