The 98th Academy Awards are less than two weeks away, and 2026 brings a major change to how Americans can watch. For the first time ever, Hulu is streaming the Oscars live to all subscribers, not just those paying for the Hulu + Live TV add-on. That's a big deal if you've been wondering how to watch the Oscars without cable.

But here's the part most guides leave out: you don't need Hulu at all. The Oscars are broadcast completely free in at least five countries outside the United States. ITVX in the UK, 7plus in Australia, RTÉ Player in Ireland, CTV in Canada, and Joyn in Germany all carry the ceremony live without requiring a paid subscription.

If you're outside those countries (or travelling on Oscar night), a VPN is all you need to access any of those free streams. This guide covers every way to watch the 2026 Oscars for free, on every device, from anywhere.

When are the 2026 Oscars?

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. Eastern / 4 p.m. Pacific on ABC.

Conan O'Brien is hosting for the second year in a row after receiving widespread acclaim for the 97th ceremony in March 2025. Producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are returning for their third consecutive year, with Hamish Hamilton directing.

Here's when the ceremony starts in other time zones:

• United Kingdom / Ireland: Midnight GMT (early hours of Monday, March 16). ITVX red carpet coverage begins before midnight.
• Australia: 10 a.m. AEDT on Monday, March 16. Channel 7 pre-show coverage starts from 5:30 a.m. with Sunrise.
• Germany: 1 a.m. CET on Monday, March 16. Joyn's red carpet stream starts at 10:30 p.m. CET on Sunday night. ProSieben goes live from 11:45 p.m.
• Canada: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT (same as the US broadcast on CTV).

How to watch the Oscars in the United States

If you're in the US, you have more options in 2026 than any previous year. Here's every way to watch.

ABC (free, over-the-air)

The Oscars air live on your local ABC station. If you have a digital antenna plugged into your TV, you can watch the entire ceremony for free. No subscription, no login, no app. This is still the simplest way to watch the Oscars without cable, and it works on any television with an antenna.

Hulu (streaming, subscription required)

This is the big change for 2026. Hulu is streaming the Oscars live to all subscribers for the first time. In previous years, live ABC content was locked behind the Hulu + Live TV tier (which costs significantly more). This year, even the standard Hulu plan includes the Oscars live stream. If you don't have Hulu yet, new subscribers can sign up for a free trial and watch the ceremony without paying.

If you've been searching for how to watch Oscars on Hulu, the answer is now straightforward: open the Hulu app on Oscar night and the live stream will be available on the homepage.

Live TV streaming services

If you subscribe to any of the major live TV bundles, ABC is included in your channel lineup:

• Hulu + Live TV
• YouTube TV
• FuboTV

Several of these offer free trials, so if you're only signing up to watch the Oscars, you can cancel before the trial ends.

ABC.com and the ABC app

You can also stream the ceremony on ABC.com or through the ABC app. The catch: you need to authenticate with a cable, satellite, or live TV streaming provider. Without a provider login, the ABC app won't let you watch live content.

How to watch the Oscars for free outside the US

The Academy Awards have free broadcast partners in several major markets. If you're in any of these countries (or connected to a VPN server in one of them), you can stream the full ceremony at no cost.

How to watch the Oscars with a VPN

If you're outside the countries listed above, or travelling on Oscar night, a VPN lets you access any of those free international streams. The UK (ITVX) and Australia (7plus) are the best options because both offer high-quality streams with English-language commentary and no paid subscription.

Here's the setup:

1. Download VPN Super. Get the App on iOS, Android, or Windows.
2. Connect to a UK server. Open the App, tap the globe icon, and select United Kingdom. VPN Super runs servers in London and Manchester.
3. Open ITVX. Go to itvx.com or open the ITVX app. Create a free account if you don't already have one. All you need is an email address.
4. Find the Oscars live stream. On the night of March 15, the Oscars will be featured prominently on the ITVX homepage. ITVX is also launching a dedicated Oscars 24/7 channel with nominated and award-winning films in the days leading up to the ceremony.
5. Start watching. ITVX reads VPN Super's UK IP address and treats you as a local viewer. The live stream unlocks.

Prefer an Australian stream? Connect to an Australia server instead and open 7plus.com.au. The Australian broadcast runs during the daytime (10 a.m. AEDT Monday), which is useful if you're in an Asian or Pacific time zone and want to avoid a late-night stream.

How to watch the Oscars on Roku and Fire TV

Both Roku and Amazon Fire TV support the apps you need to stream the Oscars. Here's how to set it up on each device.

Roku

If you're in the US, the simplest path is the Hulu app. Search for "Hulu" in the Roku Channel Store, install it, and log in. The Oscars live stream will appear on the homepage on March 15. You can also install the ABC app, though it requires a cable provider login.

If you're using a VPN to watch on ITVX, you'll need to configure VPN Super at the router level first (Roku doesn't support VPN apps natively). Once your router is connected to a UK server, open the ITVX app on Roku and the stream will work as if you're in the UK.

Amazon Fire TV

Fire TV is more flexible because it supports sideloaded apps. You can install VPN Super directly on your Fire Stick, connect to a UK server, then open the ITVX app. No router configuration needed. Search "VPN Super" in the Amazon Appstore, or sideload the Android APK.

For US viewers wondering how to watch Oscars on Fire TV without a VPN, install the Hulu app or the ABC app from the Amazon Appstore.

Can you watch the Oscars on Disney Plus?

This comes up every year, and the answer for the live ceremony is no. Disney owns both ABC and Hulu, which creates understandable confusion. The Oscar nominations announcement in January 2026 did stream on Disney+ (alongside Hulu and ABC News Live). But the ceremony itself is exclusive to ABC and Hulu in the United States.

If you have a Disney+ subscription but not Hulu, you won't be able to watch the Oscars live through Disney+. Hulu offers free trials for new subscribers, so signing up specifically for Oscar night is a viable option.

Outside the US, Disney+ is not carrying the ceremony in any market. International rights belong to the local broadcasters listed above (ITVX, 7plus, CTV, RTÉ, ProSieben/Joyn).

How to watch the Oscars after it airs

If you can't watch live, or want to rewatch the ceremony from the beginning, here's where to find it after broadcast.

• Hulu (US): The full ceremony is typically available on-demand within hours of the live broadcast. If you have a Hulu subscription, you can watch the Oscars from the beginning the next morning.
• ITVX (UK): ITV makes full replays available on ITVX shortly after the ceremony ends. Available for catch-up for at least 30 days.
• 7plus (Australia): Seven airs an encore screening in the evening on Monday, March 16. The full ceremony is also available for catch-up on 7plus.
• Joyn (Germany): ProSieben's replay is available through the Joyn media library after broadcast.

If you're using a VPN, the same server connection that works for the live stream will also work for the catch-up replay. Connect to a UK server, open ITVX, and search for "Oscars" in the catch-up section.

What to watch for at the 98th Oscars

The 2026 race has been one of the most competitive in recent memory. The nominations were announced on January 22 by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman, and several categories are wide open heading into the final vote (which closed on March 5).

Key films in contention for Best Picture include Sinners (Ryan Coogler), One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson), Sentimental Value (Joachim Trier), and several others. The full list of nominees across all categories is available on Oscars.org.

The ceremony is also introducing a new award category for 2026, part of a broader set of rule changes the Academy announced for the 98th edition. Between the new category, Conan O'Brien's return, and several tight races, this year's show has more genuine unpredictability than most recent ceremonies.

Which free stream is best for watching the Oscars?

If you're using a VPN and can pick any country, here's how the free options compare.

• ITVX (UK) is the best all-round option. English commentary, dedicated red carpet coverage with Jonathan Ross, 1080p stream quality, and full catch-up after broadcast. Account required (free, email only). Connect VPN Super to a UK server.
• 7plus (Australia) is the best option if you're in an Asian or Pacific time zone. The ceremony airs during the daytime in Australia (10 a.m. AEDT), so you avoid a late-night viewing session. Free, no account required. Connect VPN Super to an Australia server.
• RTÉ Player (Ireland) is the simplest to access. No account needed, just an Irish IP address. Stream quality tops out at 720p, slightly lower than ITVX. Connect VPN Super to an Ireland server.
• Joyn (Germany) gets you the earliest pre-show coverage (from 10:30 p.m. CET), but commentary is in German. Best if you speak German or just want to watch the ceremony visuals without English commentary. Connect VPN Super to a Germany server.