Summary

Tony Khan confirmed that Forbidden Door will return in 2026, and he said STARDOM will be involved in AEW's summer collaboration plans.

The update came during Khan's media call ahead of AEW Dynasty on April 12. While discussing whether more joshi talent would appear in AEW programming during Toni Storm's absence, Khan pointed to Yuka Sakazaki being scheduled for an ROH Survival of the Fittest qualifying match and noted that Hikaru Shida will team with Kris Statlander on the April 11 episode of AEW Collision.

Khan then said AEW and STARDOM will work together on summer events, including Forbidden Door. No date or location was announced for the pay-per-view.

STARDOM's place in Forbidden Door 2026

Forbidden Door has traditionally centered on AEW's relationship with NJPW, so bringing STARDOM into the event expands the scope of that crossover in a meaningful way. Khan's comments also connect the announcement to current movement in and around AEW's women's division, with Sakazaki and Shida both specifically mentioned as part of the broader conversation.

It is also the latest public update from Khan after he recently discussed another notable AEW roster decision.

What this could mean for AEW and STARDOM this summer

Khan naming Forbidden Door directly gives AEW a clear opening to feature more STARDOM talent on one of its biggest crossover shows of the year. With Shida already returning to television and Sakazaki also mentioned, the immediate consequence is that AEW has started laying out visible pieces of that summer relationship even before the event has a date or host city.

That does not confirm any specific matches yet, but it does signal that STARDOM's involvement is being framed as part of AEW's broader summer plans rather than a one-off appearance.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.