NJPW Announces More Details for G1 Climax 36 Show at the NOW Arena, Will Exclusively Feature Tournament Bouts

As previously reported, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) confirmed that a G1 Climax 36 event would be held at the NOW Arena in the Chicago Area on July 11. New Japan confirmed more details on the event this week. The July event will serve as the opening night for this year’s G1 Climax tournament and will exclusively feature only tournament bouts on the card.

This will be the first time a G1 Climax tournament has opened in the US since 2019, when the G1 Climax 29 tournament kicked off in Dallas, Texas, featuring five tournament matches and four tag team bouts. This time, the card will feature only G1 bouts.

New Japan said in its announcement, “In recent years, G1 opening night has seen motivation heightened among wrestlers for the tournament ahead, as well as passion from fans at an early fever pitch with cards that consist entirely of tournament matches and without preview tag bouts.”

It continues, “That same opening night passion and competition will now come to the US for the first time in 2026! EVERY matchup in NOW Arena on July 11 will be a G1 Climax 36 tournament matchup as competitors look to set the pace right out of the gates. ”

Entrants, the match card, and how many matches will be featured at the G1 Climax 36 Night 1 show are still TBD. Tickets for the NJPW G1 Climax 36 event go on sale to the general public on March 21. The venue pre-sale starts tomorrow (March 20).