Where to – For fans who couldn’t make the trip to Nashville for the 2026 CMA Fest, a new three-hour special begins airing Thursday, June 25 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. It will also stream on Hulu and Fubo the following day, with performances from Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, E
There’s a particular kind of disappointment that hits country fans when June rolls around and the trip to Nashville doesn’t happen. This year, the chance to catch what they missed is coming fast—starting this Thursday.
The CMA Fest 2026 special is set to air on Thursday. June 25. as a three-hour program built for anyone who couldn’t make it to the festival in person. The actual event took place the first weekend of June. in Nashville. and the televised version is designed to bring the country performances home for those who missed the long weekend at Nissan Stadium.
The three-hour event boasts major names that will feel instantly familiar to anyone following the genre: Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Ella Langley and Tim McGraw are all part of this year’s lineup. Cody Johnson is also included among the performers during the broadcast.
CMA Fest has been held since the 1970s and, in Nashville, it draws about 90,000 fans to celebrate all things country. Now the broadcast is meant to soften the blow for viewers who couldn’t be there in the crowd.
The question for many fans is simple: where can they watch? CMA Fest 2026 will air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. Central. For streaming, the three-hour special will be available to stream along with its regular broadcast, with Hulu and Fubo carrying it starting the following day.
On-screen hosting is also part of the draw. This year’s CMA Fest is being helmed by country singer and festival headliner Riley Green, with Good Morning America co-host Lara Spencer.
The performances and the timing add up in a way that matters: the festival already happened in early June, and the TV version arrives immediately after—so fans don’t have to wait long to catch up on the weekend’s biggest moments.
CMA Fest 2026 CMA Fest airing date ABC CMA Fest special Hulu CMA Fest Fubo CMA Fest Riley Green Lara Spencer Lainey Wilson Blake Shelton Ella Langley Tim McGraw Cody Johnson