The 2026 Oscars ceremony is finally here. Hollywood’s biggest night is taking place on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where the film industry will honor the best movies of the year. With Sinners breaking records with 16 nominations and One Battle After Another close behind with 13, this year’s show promises plenty of excitement .
If you are wondering how to catch all the action live, here is everything you need to know about watching the 98th Academy Awards, whether you are in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, or anywhere else around the globe.
When Do the 2026 Oscars Start?
The ceremony kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time and 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, March 15 . The Academy moved the start time up by one hour this year, so make sure to adjust your plans accordingly.
For international viewers, that means:
- United Kingdom: 11:00 p.m. GMT on Sunday
- India: 4:30 a.m. IST on Monday, March 16
- Australia: 10:00 a.m. AEDT on Monday
The red carpet coverage begins much earlier. The official Oscars red carpet show starts at 6:30 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu, hosted by Tamron Hall and Jesse Palmer . E! will also broadcast its own red carpet coverage starting at 4:00 p.m. ET .
How to Watch the Oscars 2026 in the United States
TV Broadcast
The 98th Academy Awards will air live on ABC in the United States. ABC has been the home of the Oscars since 1976, and this remains the primary way for traditional TV viewers to watch the ceremony .
Streaming Options
For the second year in a row, the Oscars will also stream live on Hulu . This is great news for cord-cutters. Any Hulu subscriber can watch the ceremony live, regardless of their subscription tier .
If you do not have a cable subscription, you can also access the broadcast through live TV streaming services that carry ABC, including:
- Hulu + Live TV
- YouTube TV
- FuboTV
- AT&T TV
For those with a traditional cable login, you can watch through the ABC app or ABC.com by signing in with your TV provider credentials .
How to Watch the Oscars 2026 in the United Kingdom
Viewers in the UK can tune into ITV1 and ITVX for live coverage of the Oscars . The broadcast begins at 10:15 p.m. GMT with red carpet coverage hosted by Jonathan Ross, joined by a panel including Elle Osili-Wood, Samson Kayo, and Fred Asquith .
The main ceremony starts at 11:00 p.m. GMT and is expected to continue into the early hours of Monday morning, concluding around 2:35 a.m. GMT .
Viewers in Scotland can watch through STV and the STV Player .
How to Watch the Oscars 2026 in India
Indian audiences can catch the Oscars on television through Star Movies, Star Movies Select, and Colors Infinity .
For streaming, the ceremony will be available live on JioHotstar starting at 4:30 a.m. IST on Monday, March 16 . The platform will also offer an on-demand replay after the live broadcast ends. Red carpet coverage begins earlier at 3:30 a.m. IST .
A repeat telecast will air later on Monday at 9:00 p.m. IST for those who miss the early morning live show .
Global Streaming and Broadcast Information
The Oscars reach more than 200 territories worldwide . Here are streaming and broadcast details for other major regions:
- Canada: The ceremony airs on CTV and streams on Crave .
- Australia: Viewers can watch on the Seven Network and 7Plus .
- France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and many European countries: The Oscars stream on Disney+ in several European nations this year .
- Latin America: The broadcast is available on TNT .
- Middle East and North Africa: Viewers can watch on Al Thaqafeyah and MBC Shahid .
- Southeast Asia: Disney+ is carrying the broadcast in countries like Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand .
For a complete country-by-country list, the official Oscars website provides detailed broadcaster information .
Who Is Hosting the 2026 Oscars?
Conan O’Brien is returning as host for the second consecutive year . The comedian and former late-night talk show host received strong reviews for his performance at the 2025 ceremony, where he performed comedic musical numbers and playfully roasted the nominees .
The Academy announced O’Brien would return just weeks after the previous show, with Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich stating, “Conan delivered an unforgettable performance at The Oscars… His unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment” .
O’Brien has promised another entertaining show. Speaking to ABC News about hosting this year, he said, “I’m chill, because we’ve been working really hard. We have a lot of fun ideas. It doesn’t mean a million things won’t go wrong or sideways between now and the actual show, but that can be a challenge too” .
Star-Studded Presenter Lineup
This year’s ceremony features an impressive roster of presenters. As tradition dictates, last year’s acting winners will return to hand off trophies to this year’s recipients :
- Adrien Brody (expected to present Best Actress)
- Mikey Madison (expected to present Best Actor)
- Kieran Culkin (expected to present Best Supporting Actress)
- Zoe Saldaña (expected to present Best Supporting Actor)
Other presenters scheduled to appear include:
- Javier Bardem
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Chris Evans
- Anne Hathaway
- Nicole Kidman
- Paul Mescal
- Demi Moore
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Pedro Pascal
- Maya Rudolph
- Channing Tatum
Musical Performances at the 2026 Oscars
This year’s show will feature performances of two nominated songs from the Best Original Song category .
The track “Golden” from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters will be performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, who provide the voices for the fictional girl group HUNTR/X in the movie .
The song “I Lied to You” from Sinners will also be performed, featuring actor Miles Caton alongside songwriter Raphael Saadiq. The performance will serve as a tribute to Black artistry across generations, with an array of guest artists including ballerina Misty Copeland and rocker Brittany Howard .
Major Nominees and What to Expect
Sinners leads all films with 16 nominations, setting a new record for the most nominations in Oscars history . The previous record of 14 nominations was held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
One Battle After Another follows with 13 nominations, while Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, and Sentimental Value each secured nine nominations .
The Best Picture category includes ten nominees:
- Bugonia
- F1
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- One Battle After Another
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
The acting races are particularly competitive this year. Best actor contenders include Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) . Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) is considered the frontrunner for Best Actress .
The Future of the Oscars Broadcast
This year’s ceremony marks a significant moment in Oscars history for another reason. In December 2024, the Academy announced a multi-year deal with YouTube that will make the platform the exclusive global home of the Oscars starting in 2029 .
ABC and Hulu will remain the broadcast and streaming homes through 2028, after which the ceremony will move exclusively to YouTube, ending a broadcast relationship with ABC that began in 1976.
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For more updates on the 98th Academy Awards and all your favorite Hollywood stars, keep reading VvipTimes for complete coverage of cinema’s biggest celebration.
