HeelByNature.com is reader-supported. When you click on links or make purchases through our site, we or our affiliated partners may earn a commission. Additionally, our site features Sponsored Content, which helps us maintain and operate the website.
The following is a list of professional wrestling attendance records. The highest number of events on the list have been promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), the largest professional wrestling promotion in Japan.
NJPW’s Collision in Korea, a two-day interpromotional supercard co-hosted with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1995, was the first-ever professional wrestling event held in North Korea. The second night of Collision in Korea remains the most attended overall live event of all time with a total crowd of 165,000 people. It is generally accepted that many attendees at Collision in Korea attended for free, although the event’s second night still set a then-record for live gate at $8.5 million.
August 2023’s All In, promoted by All Elite Wrestling (AEW), was attended by an estimated 84,000+ people at Wembley Stadium in London. The paid attendance of the event, 81,035, set the record for the largest paid attendance in history. It is the third overall highest attended wrestling event in history, behind Collision in Korea’s two events.
1. Collision in Korea (Day 2) – 165,000 People
Date: April 29, 1995
Location: Pyongyang, North Korea
Venue: May Day Stadium
Promotion: NJPW / WCW
Main Event: Antonio Inoki vs. Ric Flair
Notes: The most attended live wrestling event of all time.
2. Collision in Korea (Day 1) – 150,000 People
Date: April 28, 1995
Location: Pyongyang, North Korea
Venue: May Day Stadium
Promotion: NJPW / WCW
Main Event: Shinya Hashimoto vs. Scott Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
3. All In – 81,035 People
Date: August 27, 2023
Location: London, England
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Promotion: AEW
Main Event: MJF vs. Adam Cole for the AEW World Championship
Notes: The largest paid attendance in wrestling history.
4. WrestleMania 32 – 80,709 People
Date: April 3, 2016
Location: Arlington, Texas
Venue: AT&T Stadium
Promotion: WWE
Main Event: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
5. Jim Londos vs. Kola Kwariani – 80,000+ People
Date: October 22, 1933
Location: Athens, Greece
Venue: Panathenaic Stadium
Main Event: Jim Londos vs. Kola Kwariani for the World Heavyweight Championship
6. SummerSlam – 78,927 People
Date: August 29, 1992
Location: London, England
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Promotion: WWF
Main Event: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
7. WrestleMania XXVIII – 78,363 People
Date: April 1, 2012
Location: Miami Gardens, Florida
Venue: Sun Life Stadium
Promotion: WWE
Main Event: John Cena vs. The Rock
8. WrestleMania III – 78,000+ People
Date: March 29, 1987
Location: Pontiac, Michigan
Venue: Pontiac Silverdome
Promotion: WWF
Main Event: Hulk Hogan vs. André the Giant for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
9. WrestleMania XXIV – 74,635 People
Date: March 30, 2008
Location: Orlando, Florida
Venue: Florida Citrus Bowl
Promotion: WWE
Main Event: Edge vs. The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship
10. WrestleMania 29 – 74,300 People
Date: April 7, 2013
Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Venue: MetLife Stadium
Promotion: WWE
Main Event: The Rock vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship
Footnotes
- The paid attendance for All In was 81,035, with total attendance estimated to be between 84,000 and 85,000.
- Different reports suggest the attendance for Jim Londos vs. Kola Kwariani ranged from 60,000 to as high as 110,000 or 125,000.
- The total attendance for SummerSlam 1992 was 79,127.
- WrestleMania XXVIII had varying attendance reports, ranging from 78,000 to between 84,000 and 88,000.
Q: What is the largest professional wrestling promotion in Japan?
A: The largest professional wrestling promotion in Japan is New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Q: Which event had the largest paid attendance in wrestling history?
A: The event with the largest paid attendance is AEW’s All In, with a paid attendance of 81,035.
Q: How do promotions calculate ‘paid’ vs ‘total’ attendance?
A: Paid attendance refers to the number of tickets sold, while total attendance includes complimentary tickets and other non-sales-related entries.
Q: Was Collision in Korea the first wrestling event in North Korea?
A: Yes, Collision in Korea was the first-ever professional wrestling event held in North Korea.
Q: What’s the significance of the main event in a wrestling show?
A: The main event is typically the most highly promoted and anticipated match on the card, usually featuring big-name talent or high-stakes championship bouts.
Q: How reliable are the attendance numbers reported by promotions?
A: While most promotions aim to provide accurate numbers, it’s common for the reported figures to be inflated for marketing purposes. Various independent sources attempt to verify these numbers.
Q: Who held the record for the largest paid attendance before AEW’s All In?
A: Before AEW’s All In, the record for largest paid attendance was held by WWE’s WrestleMania 32, with a reported paid attendance of 79,800.
Conclusion
From Collision in Korea to the latest mega-event, All In, these gatherings are more than just wrestling shows—they’re historical landmarks in sports entertainment. Whether it’s the political significance, the dream matchups, or the sheer size of the audience, these events prove that professional wrestling knows how to pack a stadium.
