The 2026 Oscars, the 98th Academy Awards, air live this weekend from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Catch the main ceremony on Sunday, March 22 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT —perfect timing as Hollywood celebrates films like Sinners and One Battle After Another.

Broadcast Options

Tune in over-the-air on your local ABC station if you have cable, satellite, or an antenna—it's free and straightforward, just like the classic TV days.

ABC also streams live via their app or website with a cable login, though expect high traffic during peak moments like Best Picture.

Live TV streaming services dominate for cord-cutters: Hulu + Live TV (now live for all subscribers, even ad-supported), YouTube TV, FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, and AT&T TV all carry ABC with free trials available (e.g., DirecTV's 5-day trial).

Free Streaming Hacks

Want it without paying? International options like 7Plus (Australia), RTÉ Player (Ireland), or ITVX (UK) stream free—grab a VPN like ExpressVPN to access from anywhere by connecting to those countries' servers.

This workaround has buzzed online, letting global fans dodge geo-blocks for the full show.

Red Carpet Pre-Show

The real glamour starts earlier —live red carpet coverage streams on YouTube (e.g., official Oscars channel) from around 6 p.m. ET, spotlighting stars like Emma Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Timothée Chalamet.

It's the unofficial kickoff, full of fashion drama and nominee chit-chat.

Option| Cost| Devices| Key Perk
---|---|---|---
ABC Broadcast| Free (antenna/cable)| TV| No streaming lag 1
Hulu + Live TV| Starts ~$77/mo (trials)| All major| Oscars live for all tiers 15
YouTube TV / Fubo| Trials then ~$73/mo| Smart TVs, phones| Local ABC feed 5
Free Intl (VPN)| VPN ~$13/mo| Any| 7Plus, RTÉ, ITVX 3
Red Carpet| Free| YouTube app| Star arrivals early 9

Pro Tips & Trending Buzz

Prep your setup—strong Wi-Fi avoids pixelation during emotional speeches. Forums like Reddit hype red carpet streams and VPN tricks, with users sharing "where to watch" threads amid nominee excitement (Michael B. Jordan vs. DiCaprio narratives are everywhere).

As of March 16, 2026, nominations are out, building hype for upsets—check oscars.org for updates.

TL;DR at bottom: ABC is king; stream free via Hulu or VPN hacks for the full 2026 Oscars spectacle.

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