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2026 Emmy Awards: Date, Host, Where to Watch & Everything to Know

The 2026 Emmy Awards begin with ceremonies on September 5 and 6 before the main event on September 14. Here's when and where to watch.

By M. Usman

2026 Emmy Awards: Dates, Host, Where to Watch and Everything You Need to Know

The biggest celebration of television is almost here.

The 78th Emmy Awards are taking place across three major nights in September 2026, beginning with awards presentations on September 5 and September 6, before the main televised ceremony arrives on September 14.

This year's Emmys will celebrate some of television's biggest shows, actors, creators and behind-the-scenes talent, while viewers around the world prepare to see who takes home television's most prestigious awards.

The main ceremony will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay and broadcast live on NBC, with streaming available through Peacock.

Whether you're wondering when the Emmys start, where you can watch them, who is hosting or why there are multiple Emmy nights this year, here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Emmy Awards.

When Are the 2026 Emmy Awards?

The 2026 Emmy celebrations are spread across three nights.

The September 5 and September 6 ceremonies recognize a wide range of artistic and technical achievements in television.

The main event arrives on Monday, September 14, 2026, beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

That means Emmy season is effectively underway now.

Where Can You Watch the 2026 Emmys?

The main 78th Emmy Awards ceremony will air live coast-to-coast on NBC.

It will also stream live and on demand on Peacock.

The broadcast begins:

8:00 p.m. ET
5:00 p.m. PT

on September 14.

International availability can differ by country, so viewers outside the United States should check their local broadcaster or streaming provider closer to the ceremony.

Who Is Hosting the 2026 Emmy Awards?

The main 2026 Emmy Awards will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay.

Hargitay is best known to millions of television viewers for her long-running role as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Her involvement gives this year's ceremony a host with deep ties to television and one of NBC's most recognizable franchises.

The Television Academy confirms that Hargitay will host the September 14 telecast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE.

Why Are the 2026 Emmys Happening on Multiple Nights?

This can be confusing if you don't regularly follow awards season.

Not every Emmy category can realistically fit into one primetime television broadcast.

Television production involves far more than the actors and shows audiences see on screen.

Awards also recognize achievements across areas such as production design, sound, makeup, hairstyling and other creative and technical disciplines.

That's why the Television Academy spreads awards across multiple ceremonies.

This year's first two awards nights take place on September 5 and September 6 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

The ceremonies will later be edited into a television special airing on FXX on September 12, with streaming on Hulu beginning the following day.

Who Is Presenting at the 2026 Emmys?

The Television Academy has announced a large group of television personalities for the first two nights.

Night One presenters include names such as:

• Colin Hanks
• Julianne Hough
• Wanda Sykes
• Ariana Madix
• Julie Chen Moonves
• Lisa Rinna
• Sean Evans
• Nyesha Arrington

The first ceremony takes place on September 5.

Night Two brings another group of recognizable television talent, including:

• Noah Wyle
• Daveed Diggs
• Betty Gilpin
• Christopher McDonald
• Julia Stiles
• Jeff Hiller
• Michael Mando
• David Alan Grier

That ceremony takes place on September 6.

Which Shows Are in the 2026 Emmy Conversation?

The 2026 nominations include a broad mix of established television favorites and newer productions.

Among shows represented in major categories are titles such as The Pitt, The Gilded Age, Nobody Wants This, The Comeback and All Her Fault.

That's one reason this year's awards could be particularly interesting.

Streaming services have dramatically expanded the number of major television productions competing with traditional broadcast and cable networks.

Netflix, HBO, Apple TV, Prime Video and other streaming platforms now play a major role in awards season alongside established television networks.

Why the September 5 and 6 Awards Matter

The earlier Emmy nights sometimes receive less mainstream attention than the televised ceremony, but they're an important part of the awards.

A major television series isn't created by actors alone.

Sound editors, costume designers, production designers, makeup teams and many other professionals contribute to what viewers eventually see on screen.

The September ceremonies recognize many of those achievements.

For serious television fans, the results can also provide an early indication of which productions are having a particularly strong Emmy year.

When Will the Creative Arts Emmys Be on TV?

If you can't follow the September 5 and 6 ceremonies directly, there will be an edited broadcast.

The combined presentation will air:

Saturday, September 12, 2026

on FXX at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

It will then become available to stream on Hulu on September 13.

That's one day before the main Emmy telecast.

2026 Emmy Week Schedule

If you plan to follow the entire event, save these dates:

September 5
First awards ceremony.

September 6
Second awards ceremony.

September 12
Edited Creative Arts presentation airs on FXX.

September 13
Creative Arts presentation becomes available on Hulu.

September 14
The main 78th Emmy Awards air live on NBC and stream on Peacock.

What Time Do the Main Emmys Start?

The September 14 broadcast begins at:

8 p.m. Eastern Time

5 p.m. Pacific Time

Because NBC is airing the ceremony live coast-to-coast, viewers across the United States will be able to follow the major awards as they're announced.

Can You Stream the 2026 Emmys?

Yes.

The main Emmy ceremony will stream on Peacock alongside the NBC broadcast.

This reflects the larger transformation happening across television.

Awards shows were once primarily broadcast-TV events, but streaming has increasingly become an important way audiences watch major entertainment events.

And September is already a busy month for streaming releases.

If you're looking for something to watch before Emmy night, check our New on Netflix in September 2026 guide for some of this month's biggest movies and TV releases on Netflix.

If you're looking for something to watch before Emmy night, check our 

New on Netflix in September 2026: Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch guide for some of this month's biggest movies and TV releases on Netflix.

Why the 2026 Emmys Are Worth Watching

Awards shows aren't only about finding out who wins.

The Emmys also provide a snapshot of where television is heading.

Traditional broadcast television now competes directly with huge streaming productions.

Limited series have become major cultural events.

Movie stars increasingly move between theatrical films and streaming television.

Meanwhile, global streaming platforms have made television audiences more international than ever.

The Emmys provide an opportunity to see which shows, performances and production achievements the television industry considers the year's standouts.

What Happens After the September 5 Ceremony?

Because the first awards night is happening today, September 5, this article can also be updated once official winners are announced.

That's useful from an SEO perspective.

Instead of publishing another separate article immediately, you can update this page with a section such as:

2026 Emmy Winners So Far

Then add verified winners as the Television Academy publishes them.

Tomorrow, you can update it again after the September 6 ceremony.

Finally, around September 14, the same article can be expanded with the main winners.

That gives you a page that becomes progressively more useful throughout Emmy week.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the 2026 Emmy Awards?

The main 78th Emmy Awards ceremony takes place on September 14, 2026. Additional awards ceremonies take place September 5 and September 6.

Who is hosting the 2026 Emmys?

Mariska Hargitay will host the main 78th Emmy Awards telecast.

What channel are the 2026 Emmys on?

The main ceremony will air on NBC.

Can I watch the Emmys online?

Yes. The September 14 ceremony will stream live and on demand through Peacock.

When are the Creative Arts Emmys?

The first two awards ceremonies take place on September 5 and September 6. An edited version will air on FXX on September 12 and become available on Hulu the following day.

Where are the 2026 Emmys being held?

The ceremonies are being held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 Emmy Awards are officially getting underway.

With awards ceremonies beginning September 5, another night following on September 6 and the main NBC broadcast scheduled for September 14, television fans have more than one date to watch.

This year's event also reflects just how much television has changed.

Streaming platforms, traditional networks, limited series, prestige dramas, comedies and reality programming are all competing in an increasingly crowded entertainment landscape.

The biggest question now is simple:

Which shows will walk away as the biggest winners of the 2026 Emmys?

We'll know much more as the awards are handed out over the coming days.

For the authoritative external source, use the official Television Academy 2026 Emmys information.