This evening, the ESPY Awards 2026 will highlight exemplary achievements in sports from the preceding year.
Hosted by Marcello Hernandez, who is known for his role on “SNL” and his stand-up comedy, the event is set to air tonight, July 15th, at 8 PM ET.
A range of celebrities will present awards across 22 categories, including notable figures like Tracy Morgan, Robin Roberts, Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, and Tiffany Haddish. Athletes such as Billie Jean King, Mike Tyson, Ilona Maher, and Simone Biles will also be in attendance.
Special honors will be given tonight as well. Jason Collins will be awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, Jim Abbott will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Laquan will get the Pat Tillman Award for Distinguished Service.
In terms of entertainment, performances will include acts by De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick, and the Savannah Bananas.
For those wanting to catch the show without cable, there’s some helpful information below.
ESPY 2026 Date and Time
The awards ceremony is happening tonight, July 15th, at 8 PM ET.
How to Watch the 2026 ESPYs for Free
If you’re without cable, using a live TV streaming service could be an option to stream the ESPY Awards at no cost.
DIRECTV offers a handy way to watch live TV for free with its five-day trial, which includes options for ABC. After the trial, plans can start at $44.99 monthly, depending on your choice.
Another budget-conscious alternative is Sling TV, which also carries ABC, starting at $19.99 a month.
Host of the 2026 ESPYs
ESPY 2026 Candidate List
Here are some nominees across top categories for the ESPYs.
Best Athlete in Men’s Sports
- Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks, NBA
- Matthew Stafford – Los Angeles Rams, NFL
- Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB
- Lionel Messi – Inter Miami FC, MLS
Best Breakthrough Athlete
- Alisa Liu – figure skating
- Fernando Mendoza – Indiana Hoosiers Football
- Drake Maye – New England Patriots, NFL
- Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks, NHL
Best College Athlete Award in Men’s Sports
- Cameron Boozer – Duke University basketball player
- Mitchell Mazenbrink – Penn State Wrestling
- Fernando Mendoza – Indiana State Football
- Donavan Phillip – NC State Soccer
Best Disabled Athlete Award
- Jake Adikoff – Paralympic Nordic skier
- Declan Farmer – Sledge Hockey
- Oksana Masters – Paralympic Cross-Country Skiing
- Susanna Scaloni – Wheelchair racing
Championship Best Performance
- Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks
- Teagan Caban – Texas Longhorns Softball
- Aerin Frankel – USA Women’s Hockey
- Connor Hellebuyck – USA Men’s Hockey
Best Team
- Seattle Seahawks – NFL
- Texas Longhorns – Women’s College World Series
- Indiana Hoosiers – NCAA Football
- Las Vegas Aces – WNBA
- New York Knicks – NBA
- Carolina Hurricanes – NHL
- Los Angeles Dodgers – MLB
- Team USA Women’s Hockey – 2026 Winter Olympics
- Team USA Men’s Hockey – 2026 Winter Olympics
Best Athlete in Women’s Sports
- Mikaela Shiffrin – Alpine Skiing
- Hilary Knight – USA Hockey/Seattle Trent, PWHL
- Nelly Korda – Golf
- A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
Best Comeback Athlete
- Anthony Kim – Golf
- Kyndall Stowers – Texas A&M Volleyball
- Christian McCaffrey – San Francisco 49ers, NFL
- Savvy King – Angel City FC, NWSL
Best University Athlete Award in Women’s Sports Category
- Lauren Betts – UCLA Basketball
- Madison Taylor – Northwestern lacrosse player
- Faith Torres – Oklahoma Gymnastics
- Olivia Babcock – Pittsburgh Volleyball
Best Play
- USA Women’s Hockey – Golden Goal for the Gold Medal!
- USA Men’s Hockey – Golden Goal for the Gold Medal!
- Braylon Mullins – Buzzer-beater 3 as UConn defeats Duke in NCAA Men’s March Madness
- OG Anunoby – Tip-in to victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals
- Caleb Williams – Game-tying TD against Rams
Best Record-Breaking Performance
- Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns – broke NFL single-season sack record
- Megan Grant, UCLA Softball – Breaks NCAA single-season softball home run record
- Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, cross-country skiing – first athlete to win six gold medals at the Winter Games
- Sabastian Sawe, long-distance running – completed his first marathon in less than 2 hours
