WWE SmackDown tonight: Start time in India, USA, UK, Australia & more (January 16, 2026)
(Courtesy : WWE via Getty)
Tonight’s SmackDown will emanate from London.
The January 16, 2026, edition of WWE SmackDown arrives with massive momentum as the Blue Brand touches down at The OVO Arena Wembley in London, England, continuing WWE’s action-packed European Tour.
The first two WWE SmackDown episodes of the new year have delivered non-stop shocks, and last week’s show in Berlin set a blistering pace on the Road to Royal Rumble 2026.
WWE has announced several matches for the show, with superstars competing in qualifying bouts to earn spots in a fatal four-way match for the number one contender position for the Undisputed Championship.
United States Champion Carmelo Hayes will continue the Open Challenge, while the newly crowned Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will also set to make an appearance, following the title win during last week’s show.
Start times for tonight’s WWE SmackDown across India, the USA, the UK, Australia, and additional regions are as follows:
Announced for WWE SmackDown (January 16, 2026)
- New Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre to appear
- Carmelo Hayes’ United States Title Open Challenge
Qualifying matches for the #1 Contender’s (Undisputed WWE title) fatal 4-way match at SNME:
- Randy Orton vs The Miz
- Matt Cardona vs Trick Williams
- Damian Priest vs Solo Sikoa
- Sami Zayn vs Ilja Dragunov
Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn, Jade Cargill, and Alexa Bliss are listed as featured superstars.
WWE SmackDown Tonight (January 16, 2026): Start Time
- United States, Alaska, Hawaii & Puerto Rico: 08 PM ET, 07 PM CT & 05 PM PT (Friday)
- Canada: 03 PM ET (Friday)
- India: 1:30 AM IST (Saturday)
- Bangladesh: 02:00 AM BST (Saturday)
- Saudi Arabia: 11 PM AST (Friday)
- Australia: 06 AM AEST / 07 AM AEDT (Saturday)
- France: 09 PM CET (Friday)
- Brazil: 05 PM BRT (Friday)
- Mexico: 02 PM CST (Friday)
- Singapore: 04 AM SGT (Saturday)
- China: 04 AM CST (Saturday)
- Nigeria: 09 PM WAT (Friday)
- South Africa: 10 PM SAST (Friday)
- Germany: 09 PM CET (Friday)
When and where will tonight’s episode of SmackDown take place?
The January 16 episode of SmackDown will air live from the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England.
Will the show have an early start time like Raw?
Yes, for international viewers, the show will start at 8 PM GMT (London). However, the show will air as usual at 8 PM ET in the United States on USA Network on tape delay.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.