You can watch the Oscars live on ABC in the U.S., plus several live TV streaming services that carry ABC, and some official international partners online.

When and where it’s on

  • The 2026 Oscars (98th Academy Awards) air live on ABC on Sunday, March 15, with coverage starting in the evening (around prime time in the U.S.).
  • ABC is still the main U.S. broadcaster for the ceremony and red‑carpet coverage.

Watch with cable or antenna

  • If you have traditional cable or satellite TV in the U.S., just tune in to your local ABC channel at the scheduled time.
  • If you’re in an area where ABC is broadcast over the air, you can use a simple HD antenna to watch for free.

Watch live online without cable

Several live TV streaming services carry ABC in many U.S. markets:

  • DirecTV Stream (ABC in select areas, paid live TV bundle).
  • Fubo (sports‑focused bundle that includes ABC in many regions).
  • YouTube TV (large channel package with ABC where available).

All of these typically offer free trials around big events, so you can sign up shortly before the ceremony, stream ABC live, and cancel if you don’t want to keep it.

Some guides also mention that the Oscars stream via ABC’s own apps or site in supported regions, usually if you sign in with a participating TV provider.

Watching via ABC’s apps and site

  • ABC often offers a live stream of the Oscars through its website and ABC app, but you usually need to log in with your cable, satellite, or live‑TV streaming provider credentials.
  • The Academy and ABC list official “how to watch” info, including digital options and participating providers, on the Oscars site’s “How to Watch” page and ABC’s Oscars page.

International watching options

Outside the U.S., the rights are licensed country‑by‑country:

  • The Oscars site keeps an updated international “How to Watch” page listing which local channels or streaming platforms carry the ceremony in each territory.
  • In many countries, a major entertainment channel or pay‑TV network gets the rights, and sometimes they also stream it via their apps or websites.

If you’re not in the U.S., the fastest way is to check the Oscars official “How to Watch” international page and then go to the named broadcaster in your country.

If you miss it live

  • ABC and streaming services that carry it usually make a replay available on demand starting the next day.
  • Highlights, acceptance speeches, and key moments are also uploaded to official Oscars and ABC social channels after the show.

TL;DR:
In the U.S., watch the Oscars live on ABC via cable, antenna, or live‑TV streamers like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, or YouTube TV; elsewhere, check the Oscars “How to Watch” international page for your country’s official channel or streamer.

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