The CEO of Bushiroad, which owns New Japan Pro Wrestling, is aiming for a big rise in attendance for 2026’s Wrestle Kingdom.
In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Takaaki Kidani said he wants to draw at least 40,000 fans to next year’s marquee event.
This past weekend, Wrestle Kingdom drew 24,107 attendees, and Wrestle Dynasty had an attendance of 16,300.
The Wrestle Kingdom number was down from 27,422 in 2024.
Kidani stated (translated from Japanese):
For January 4th next year, I want to bring in over 40,000 people. That should be our minimum target. Beyond a potential retirement match for Hiroshi Tanahashi, we’ll need to build a compelling card over the next year.
He noted:
The lack of a Japanese main eventer is still a challenge for us. Right now, we’re in a period where many wrestlers are vying for the top spot, and we haven’t yet seen someone clearly rise above the rest. However, as a whole, I’d say the event was a case of “all’s well that ends well.”
Specifically on the co-promoted Wrestle Dynasty event, he voiced mixed feelings:
Maybe it would have been better to do it at a distance from January 4th…I think we weren’t able to create the feel of a joint event, nor of a rivalry, so it ended up being a bit half-hearted. That’s something to reflect on.
Kidani also compared pro wrestling to other sports making strides in Japan, such as basketball and volleyball, where he feels NJPW is currently lagging:
We’re not doing enough to attract international fans, and that’s a major area for improvement. But I see these challenges as growing pains—necessary hurdles on our way to the next stage.
On the deal with Konosuke Takeshita, he said:
It’s likely a one-year deal for now…There’s nothing wrong with him splitting his time between promotions. We have several wrestlers who operate this way.
