How to watch 2026 Oscars for free: Time, red carpet, livestream

The Academy is rolling out the red carpet.

The 2026 Oscars will air live from the Dolby Theatre in LA on Sunday, hosted by Conan O’Brien for the second time in a row.

Read on for everything you need to know to tune in to the star-studded finale of awards season — even without cable.

When are the 2026 Oscars?

The 2026 Oscars air live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET. Red carpet coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on the same channel.

How to watch and stream the 2026 Oscars?

No cable? No sweat. To watch the Academy Awards, you’ll need a live TV streaming service. DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching TV live for free — it has a five-day free trial and there are several great plan options that include ABC, including genre packs that offer more flexibility at lower price points. You can subscribe to the MyNews ($39.99/month) genre pack to gain access to ABC for less.

Who is hosting the 2026 Oscars?

After making his Academy Awards hosting debut last year, comedian Conan O’Brien is back for more. He said on “Good Morning America” that he’s “chill” heading into the ceremony, and that he and his team have “lots of fun ideas.”

He also teased some singing and dancing, saying, “I think America demands to see Conan’s body in motion. You just have to tune in.”

Who is nominated at the 2026 Oscars?

“Sinners” made history this year with 16 nominations — the most of any film ever. “One Battle After Another” follows closely behind with 13 nods, while “Marty Supreme,” “Frankenstein” and “Sentimental Value” each have nine. Below, we’ve broken down nominations in four top categories (and if you’re hoping to stream the biggest films after the show, we’ve got a guide for that, too.)

Who is presenting at the 2026 Oscars?

Per usual, the Academy has a star-studded lineup of presenters, including last year’s top acting winners: Mikey Madison, Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña.

The list also includes Will Arnett, Javier Bardem, Priyanka Chopra, Anne Hathaway, Chase Infiniti, Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Paul Mescal, Demi Moore, Wagner Moura, Kumail Nanjiani, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pedro Pascal, Channing Tatum and Sigourney Weaver.

As in past years, there will also be multiple reunions from fan-favorite movies. The cast of “Bridesmaids” — Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy — will all present together, as will Marvel stars Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans.

Who is performing at the 2026 Oscars?

While last year didn’t feature performances, this year’s ceremony will include two of the nominated songs. Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami will sing “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters,” while Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will perform “I Lied to You” from “Sinners.”

The latter performance will also include an ensemble of A-list instrumentalists and performers, including Misty Copeland, Shaboozey, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Alice Smith, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li and Eric Gales.

Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Associate Editor for Page Six. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts celebrities’ brands to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.