The 2026 Australian Open is almost here. Some of the biggest names in tennis are heading to Australia this week to compete in the Australian Open qualifying rounds. The tournament officially kicks off next Sunday, January 18th at Melbourne Park (Saturday, January 17th for US viewers). Game coverage will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2. The entire tournament – including qualifying rounds – will be live streamed to ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here’s what you need to know about the 2026 Australian Open.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
date: January 17 to February 1, 2026
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Place: melbourne park
TV channel: ESPN, ESPN2
Streaming media: ESPN+
When is the 2026 Australian Open?
The 2026 Australian Open officially kicks off on Sunday, January 18, but due to the time difference, American viewers will tune in on Saturday night. Qualifying for the tournament begins on Monday, January 12th.
Australian Open Channel:
In the United States, the Australian Open will be broadcast on ESPN and the entire event will be streamed live on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select match coverage will also air on ESPN2, then switch to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:
ESPN’s revamped streaming platform offers thousands of exclusive live events, original studio programming and critically acclaimed series across ESPN’s seven linear channels, as well as exclusive content from ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+, ACCNX and select content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone. The unlimited plan costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year.
ESPN $29.99 per month
DirecTV’s entertainment tier gives you access to a ton of channels for college and professional sports, including ESPN, TNT, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, as well as local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC (depending on where you live).
No matter which plan you choose, you’ll get unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN Unlimited.
DirecTV’s entertainment package is priced at $89.99 per month. But currently you can try all of them for free for 5 days. If you’re interested in trying a live TV streaming service but aren’t quite ready to commit yet, we recommend starting with DirecTV.
Free trial on DirecTV
Fubo’s slimmed-down sports package includes local radio stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS and FOX, as well as other affiliates in select markets, as well as ACC Network, Big 10 Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNNews, ESPNU, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fubo Sports Network, ION, NFL Network, SEC Network and Tennis Channel. It also includes free access to ESPN’s new ESPN+ Unlimited package. Fubo subscribers also get unlimited cloud DVR storage.
The Fubo Exercise Bundle is $10 off for the first month, priced at $45.99; after that, the price increases to $55.99 per month.
Fubo $45.99 for first month
Sling TV’s Daytime Pass gives consumers the freedom to watch content they want, whenever they want, without the need for a monthly streaming subscription.
A single-day pass costs $4.99 and gives you access to every channel Sling Orange has to offer, including ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, Disney Channel and 30 more channels, with no additional subscription or commitment required. no strings attached.
Sling $4.99/day
Where to watch the 2026 Australian Open (no cable required):
If you want to watch every match from the Australian Open but don’t currently have a subscription to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, most of the action in Australia will be available for free on 9Now with ads.
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Don’t you live in the land below? Don’t worry, you can still stream just like you would with the help of a VPN. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) help protect your data, can mask your IP address, and are probably most popular because they are particularly useful in the streaming age. whether you want to see friends Watch Netflix (the company dropped the US version of streaming in 2019) or catch up on tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help. Want to try a VPN for the first time? This guide details the best VPN options for every type of user.
ExpressVPN offers “borderless internet,” which means you don’t need a cable TV plan to watch the 2026 Australian Open for free. All you need to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, change your server location to Australia, and find free live coverage through 9Now. Additionally, it was voted the best premium VPN by Engadget. ExpressVPN offers three tiers of subscriptions: Basic plan (starting at $3.49/month), Advanced plan (starting at $4.49/month), and Pro plan (starting at $7.49/month).
ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re nervous about trying a VPN.
ExpressVPN starts at $3.49 per month
2026 Australian Open schedule:
All times Eastern
Saturday, January 17
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
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Sunday, January 18
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(Day 1) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 19
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(Day 2) Men’s and Women’s Round 1: 3:00 AM
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(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s First Round: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 20
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(Day 3) Men’s and Women’s Round 1: 3:00 AM
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(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 21st
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(Day 4) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 22
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(Day 5) Men’s and Women’s Second Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, January 23
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(Day 6) Men’s and Women’s Round 3: 3:00 AM
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(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 24
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(Day 7) Men’s and Women’s Third Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 25
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(Day 8) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 7:00 p.m.
Monday, January 26
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(Day 9) Men’s and Women’s Fourth Round: 3:00 AM
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 27
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(Day 10) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 28
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(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.
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(Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00pm
Thursday, January 29
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinals: 8:00 p.m.
Friday, January 30
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(Day 13) Men’s Semifinals: 3:30am
Saturday, January 31st
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(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30am
Sunday, February 1
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(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 AM
Who will compete in the 2026 Australian Open?
The 2026 Australian Open draw will be held on Thursday 15 January. The top 10 seeds in the singles draw are as follows.
2026 Australian Open Men’s Singles Seeds
1. Carlos Alcaraz
2. Jannik Sinner
3. Alexander Zverev
4. Novak Djokovic
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime
2026 Australian Open Women’s Singles Seeds
1. Alina Sabalenka
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2. Iga Swiatek
3.Amanda Anisimova
4. Coco Gough
5.Elena Rybakina
Australian Open prize money:
In 2026, the Australian Open men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive US$4,150,000, the runner-up will receive US$2,150,000, and the semi-finalists will receive US$1,250,000.