What Time Do The Oscars Start? Here’s When The 2026 Academy Awards Begin

The 2026 Oscars start at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 15, with the ceremony airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. That means viewers on the West Coast can tune in at 4 p.m. PT, while audiences in the U.K. will see the show begin at midnight GMT going into Monday.

This year’s ceremony starts an hour earlier than the longtime 8 p.m. ET tradition, a scheduling shift that continues the Academy’s push to make the broadcast more accessible for East Coast viewers and live audiences following the winners in real time.

The Main Show Begins At 7 P.M. ET

Anyone searching for the exact Oscars start time only needs one number: 7 p.m. ET.

The 98th Academy Awards are scheduled to begin then, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. The earlier start has become one of the biggest practical changes for viewers because it moves the final awards into a more manageable window for audiences in the eastern U.S. and Canada.

For U.S. viewers, the ceremony airs live on ABC and streams live on Hulu.

Red Carpet Coverage Starts Earlier In The Day

The main event may not begin until 7 p.m. ET, but Oscars coverage starts well before that.

The official red carpet show is set for 6:30 p.m. ET, giving viewers a half-hour lead-in before the first award is presented. Additional pre-show coverage begins even earlier in the afternoon, which is typical for Hollywood’s biggest awards night as arrivals, fashion, interviews, and nominee reactions build momentum ahead of the ceremony.

For people asking what time to turn on the TV, the answer depends on what they want to watch. Those who only care about the awards can show up at 7 p.m. ET. Anyone who wants the full Oscars-night experience should tune in before 6:30 p.m. ET.

Why The Earlier Oscars Start Time Matters

The earlier launch is more than a programming tweak. It changes how the ceremony plays for audiences across several countries.

A 7 p.m. ET start gives the broadcast a better shot at finishing before it gets too late on the East Coast, where major categories have often landed near or after midnight in past years. It also helps awards watchers, entertainment reporters, and social media audiences keep pace with the biggest moments as they happen.

For international viewers, the schedule still means a late night or early morning, but the one-hour shift is still meaningful, especially for those following the ceremony live in the U.K. and Europe.

Oscars 2026 Start Time By Time Zone

Here is the key schedule for the main ceremony:

• 7 p.m. ET

• 6 p.m. CT

• 5 p.m. MT

• 4 p.m. PT

• 12 a.m. GMT on Monday, March 16

That time applies to the start of the televised awards show, not the earliest pre-show coverage.

How To Watch The 2026 Oscars Live

The Academy Awards will air on ABC, with live streaming available on Hulu. That gives viewers both traditional TV and streaming options for following the ceremony as it happens.

The show returns to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where the Oscars have long staged their biggest night. With the red carpet beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET and the ceremony starting at 7 p.m. ET, the schedule is now clear for anyone planning their Sunday night around the broadcast.

For viewers searching one last time before the telecast, the simplest answer is this: the 2026 Oscars start at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 15.