UDA College Nationals 2026 starts on Friday, January 16, 2026, with the first competition blocks beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Quick Scoop

  • The 2026 UDA College Nationals run from Friday, January 16 through Sunday, January 18, 2026.
  • Each day’s competition window is scheduled roughly from 8:00 a.m. to around 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, depending on division and progression.
  • The event is held alongside UCA College Nationals at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando.

When does UDA Nationals start?

  • Officially, the event “starts” on Friday, January 16, 2026.
  • First performances are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. ET on that Friday across venues like AdventHealth Arena and State Farm Field House.

Recent / “Latest news” angle

  • Current coverage highlights that 2026 UDA & UCA College Nationals span three days (Jan 16–18) with prelims and semis mostly Friday–Saturday and finals/awards on Saturday evening and Sunday.
  • Media and streaming partners (e.g., Varsity TV and related outlets) are promoting wall‑to‑wall coverage and updated performance orders as they’re released.

Forum / discussion vibe

If you are seeing people on forums ask “when does UDA Nationals start,” they are almost always referring to:

  • The start of the college nationals weekend → Friday morning, January 16, 2026.
  • Or more specifically, “what time is the first performance block?” → 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday.

TL;DR

  • Start date: Friday, January 16, 2026.
  • Start time: 8:00 a.m. ET.
  • Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports, Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, FL.

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