when did the oscars start 2026

The 2026 Oscars ceremony (98th Academy Awards) is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Quick Scoop

• Official start time (US): 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.

• Location: Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, Los Angeles.

• Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026.

• Broadcast (US): Airing live on ABC and streaming on Hulu.

Red carpet coverage typically starts about 30 minutes to an hour earlier (around 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT on major networks and streamers).

International timing example

• UK time: Ceremony coverage begins around 23:00 GMT, reflecting the 7 p.m. ET start in the US.

So, if your question is “when did the Oscars start 2026,” the short answer is: they kicked off at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on March 15, 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.