The Australian Open will open the 2026 tennis season with two weeks of wall-to-wall action from Melbourne, featuring the world’s best players. Coverage begins around 7 p.m. ET each night and will continue into the early morning hours, with ESPN handling the majority of the matches as the tournament progresses through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
How to Watch Australian Open 2026
- Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026 – Sunday, February 1, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET Daily
- Channel: ESPN Family of Networks
- Stream: Fubo (TRY FOR FREE)
The men’s draw once again revolves around Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Between them, the pair has captured each of the last eight Grand Slam titles, and Sinner enters Melbourne as a two-time defending Australian Open champion.
On the women’s side, American Madison Keys returns as the reigning Australian Open winner, but the favorite heading into the tournament is Aryna Sabalenka. Coco Gauff will look to add an Australian Open title to her resume, while one of the biggest headlines is the return of Venus Williams, who is set to compete in Melbourne for the first time in five years after receiving a wild-card entry.
What channel is the 2026 Australian Open on?
In the United States, the Australian Open airs across ESPN and ESPN2. Matches from Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena are carried on ESPN’s main channels, while additional courts are streamed live on ESPN Unlimited every night.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free
If you don’t have a traditional cable package, a live TV streaming service is the easiest way to watch the Australian Open in the U.S.
Fubo is one of the best options, as it carries ESPN and ESPN2 and offers a free trial for new subscribers. That free trial allows fans to stream live Australian Open matches, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
Australian Open 2026 TV schedule
Check out the TV schedule for this year’s Australian Open. Remember that most matches will be broadcast starting each night at 7 or 7:30 pm ET across ESPN, with ESPN Unlimited carrying every match daily.
All times listed below are Eastern Time.
First Round
Saturday, Jan. 17
10 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 18
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
7 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Monday, Jan. 19
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
11:15 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Second Round
Tuesday, Jan. 20
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 21
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Third Round
Thursday, Jan. 22
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Friday, Jan. 23
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Round of 16
Saturday, Jan. 24
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
8 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, Jan. 25
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
8 p.m. – 3 a.m. (ESPN2)
Quarterfinals
Monday, Jan. 26
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN2)
9 p.m. – 1 a.m. (ESPN2)
Tuesday, Jan. 27
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN)
9 p.m. – 1 a.m. (ESPN2)
Wednesday, Jan. 28
3 a.m. – 7 a.m. (ESPN)
Semifinals
Thursday, Jan. 29
3:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. (Women’s semifinals – ESPN)
10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. (Men’s semifinal #1 – ESPN)
Friday, Jan. 30
3:30 a.m. – 6 a.m. (Men’s semifinal #2 – ESPN)
Finals
Saturday, Jan. 31
3:30 a.m. – 5:30 a.m. (Women’s championship – ESPN)
Sunday, Feb. 1
3:30 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. (Men’s championship – ESPN)
Live stream the 2026 Australian Open on ESPN for free with Fubo: Start your free trial now!
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