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After a year of incredible movie watching, the 2026 Oscars are here. From Michael B. Jordan‘s captivating portrayal of twins in Sinners to Jessie Buckley’s powerful, heartbreaking performance in Hamnet, last year we all laughed, cried and sometimes left speechless by the magic of film making. At the 98th Academy Awards the world of cinema will come together at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to celebrate the best of the best. Here’s how you can stream the event online for free.
Where to Watch the 98th Academy Awards, At a Glance
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has already made history by setting a new record as the most-nominated film in Oscar history, with 16 nods. Trailing the epic vampire thriller, is Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (13 nods), Frankenstein, Marty Supreme and Sentimental Value (nine each) and Hamnet (eight). The breakout anime, KPop Demon Hunters is also nominated for five awards at the 2026 Oscars. Their standout song “Golden” alongside Sinner’s “I Lied to You” will be performed live during the Academy Awards. For the full list of nominations, see here.
Want to watch the 98th Academy Awards? We’ve compiled a guide of all the best streamers to watch the Oscars live without cable. See below.
How to Watch the 2026 Oscars Online for Free
If you don’t have cable, there are still plenty of ways to watch the 2026 Oscars online without cable. Fans can take advantage of multiple streaming services that offer free trials, so you can watch the awards ceremony today without paying a dime. Signing up to streamers like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and Fubo you won’t miss any magical movie moments from the event.
DirecTV
DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial, which will let you watch ABC and more for free. The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network is included in all of the streaming packages. In addition to unlimited DVR storage, you’ll get access to local channels and the ability to stream on as many devices as you want.
Sling TV
Sling TV is offering new half off off their first month with any of its three packages. You can choose from: the Orange, Blue or Orange + Blue. However, ABC is only offered on the Blue package, but you can watch simulcasted games on ESPN3 (which is only offered on Sling’s Orange package). Rather than choose between the two, you can combine the two with the Orange + Blue package, which will give you access to more than 50 channels, DVR storage and the ability to stream on up to three devices.
Please note: Sling TV’s pricing and channel availability depends on your local TV market.
FuboTV
Fubo is another great option you can take advantage of to watch the 98th Academy Awards online for free. The streamer offers a seven-day free trial that’ll give you access to ABC for free and more than 240 live TV channels. The service offers a promo that’ll get you up to $30 off the first month, which can get you access to ABC, ESPN and more for as low as $54.99 (reg. $84.99 per month).
Hulu
Free Trial
Hulu + Live TV
A subscription to Hulu + Live TV gets you more than 95 live TV channels, such as ABC, to watch live sports, TV series and specials whenever you want. You also get access to the entire Hulu on-demand library (including select ABC content available to watch the day after it airs). The streamer also offers a three-day free trial for new users.
And, unlike the rest of the options, you can also expand your content library by bundling Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. You’ll not only have all of the Hulu library to watch, but also exclusive and original programming available exclusively on ESPN Unlimited.
