What Time Does the Official 2026 Oscars Red Carpet Show Start? Here’s the Easiest Way to Watch Online
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If you are tuning into the 2026 Oscars mainly for the designer gowns, the diamonds, and the surprise fashion moments that could join the ranks of the best Oscars dresses of all time, the official red carpet show starts at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, March 15. That is when On the Red Carpet at the Oscars begins ahead of the 98th Academy Awards, which air later that night at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on ABC and Hulu.
For most people, the easiest option for watching the red carpet live online is still Hulu + Live TV, which currently starts at $89.99 per month after a 3-day free trial for eligible new and returning subscribers. Disney has confirmed that the Oscars will stream live on Hulu, which makes it the simplest one-stop option if you want both the red carpet and the ceremony in one place.
If Hulu is not your thing, there are a couple other easy ways to watch everyone from Kate Hudson to Michael B. Jordan make their way onto the Oscars red carpet online. DIRECTV is currently promoting a 5-day free trial, with plans starting at $19.99 per month, while Fubo offers a 5-day free trial for new subscribers and plans that currently start at $55.99 per month, with ABC available in supported markets. Both give you a way to log in and stream the red carpet online without a cable subscription.
Sling is the one to look at if your main priority is the red carpet arrivals themselves. Sling’s listings show On the Red Carpet at the Oscars on ABC News Live, which is available through Sling Freestream — and that option is free. That gives fashion people a lower-commitment way to catch the interviews, commentary, and first looks without paying for a full live TV package.
And that pre-show is not just filler. Disney says Sunday’s coverage will feature interviews with nominees and presenters, while Roshumba Williams and Joe Zee handle the red carpet fashion commentary. For anyone who considers the style half the event, that is the part worth logging in early for.
The simplest answer is Hulu + Live TV at $89.99 a month after its trial if you want the full night in one place. But if you mostly care about seeing who wore what the second stars hit the red carpet, going to Sling Freestream’s ABC News Live stream is the lighter-lift — and free — option.
Before you go, click here to see all the most shocking Oscars looks over the years.