Kelly LawlerErin JensenLiza EsquibiasUSA TODAY
Updated Sept. 14, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET
The biggest night in TV is set to be a festival of glitz, glamour and “The Pitt.”
The Emmy Awards, the annual celebration of all things television, are set for Monday, Sept 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and will air live on NBC and Peacock, hosted by “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay, hopefully without needing to bring her badge and handcuffs.
The 78th Emmy Awards promise to be a night of recognition for the faces we see week in and week out on our TV screens (or, all at once for 13 hours straight on a long weekend of binge-watching). This year we expect to see stars like Zendaya, Noah Wyle, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, Florence Pugh, Jean Smart and Matthew Rhys lighting up the red carpet.
Celebrating shows that aired or streamed between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, nominees such as HBO Max’s juggernaut hit “The Pitt,” the dearly departed “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and comedy “Hacks” are all likely to walk away with a sack of trophies at the end of the night.
Follow along for live updates from TV’s biggest night here.
These TV shows and actors already won at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys
Kelly Lawler, Kalia Richardson and Anthony Robledo
The Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the two-night event celebrating TV talent in categories not included in the main broadcast, crowned a host of winners on Sept. 5 and 6.
The evening proved to be a big one for “Law & Order: SUV” starMariska Hargitay, who won two Emmys ahead of herhosting debut for the main ceremony. “The Traitors” continues to dominate the reality competition program space after winning every night one Emmy category in which it was nominated, includingAlan Cumming’s third consecutive win as host. HBO’s “Hacks” and Netflix‘s “Beef” received the most Creative Arts nominations, with 17 and 13 respectively.
Seethe full list of winners.
Who was snubbed for an Emmy nomination?
It’s an honor just to be nominated, and it’s quite the sting to miss out completely. This year’s Emmy nominees list snubbedsome fan-favorites like “Stranger Things,” “Euphoria” and “Landman,” former winners like Jeremy Allen White (FX’s “The Bear”) and A-listers like Kathy Bates (“Matlock” on CBS).
Who was nominated at the 2026 Emmys?
HBO Max’s medical drama“The Pitt,” helmed by star and executive producerNoah Wyle, topped the nominees with 25 honors when they were announced in July. “Hacks,” also an HBO Max series, earned 24 nominations for its fifth and final season. The quirky horror/comedy “Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV) earned the third-most nominations with 19 mentions. “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” earned nine nominations, including recognition in the variety series category, two months after the CBS late-night talk show officiallysigned off in May followingits cancellation.
Look here for the full list of who was nominated this year.
Who is hosting the 2026 Emmys?
Kelly Lawler and Bryan Alexander
Emmy-winner and “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay will grace the stage as the host of the Emmys this year, a first for the actress and producer. It also marks the first time in 15 years that a woman has hosted the Emmys.
Hargitay confirmed to USA TODAY that she will be singing and dancing on the Emmys stage. “Those rumors are true,” she said at a pre-Emmys event Sept. 10. However, the host refused to give “spoilers” on the performance. “I’ll never tell you. But it’s going to be more song than dance. I just want to be clear on that.”
When are the Emmys? How to watch
The 2026 Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sept. 14, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The show will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock. Coverage of the red carpet begins on E! 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. USA TODAY will be streaming the Emmy Awards red carpet <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/P2Udr1Axajk” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>on our YouTube channel, starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
