Celebrate Black culture at the 2026 BET Awards this weekend
Celebrate Black culture at the 2026 BET Awards this weekend
Reflect on the past year’s achievements in music, film, and sports with guest performances and celebrity appearances.
It’s time to highlight the year’s biggest wins at the 2026 BET Awards. The awards show focuses on Black culture, recognizing the top musicians, athletes, films, and more. The star-studded event kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 28, 2026. We suggest tuning in with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment GenrePack or with a subscription to Paramount+.
How to Watch the 2026 BET Awards
- When: Sunday, June 28, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET
- TV: BET
- Streaming: Stream with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV or Paramount+.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know to stream the 2026 BET Awards
Why do we suggest watching the 2026 BET Awards on DIRECTV?
DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment package is one of the most affordable ways to watch the 2026 BET Awards. New subscribers can use the free trial to watch the awards show before paying for a subscription. If you’ve already used a free trial or subscribed in the past, you will need to sign up for a one-month subscription. Fortunately, it costs just $35 per month and comes with a nice selection of entertainment-focused channels.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Can you stream the 2026 BET Awards for free?
If you’re hoping to catch the 2026 BET Awards at no cost, you’re in luck! You can take advantage of a five-day free trial to DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment package, which will give you access to BET. Since the event is just one night, you will still have an additional four days to explore the live TV streaming service.
You can also find BET on other live TV streaming services, and some offer free trials. We like DIRECTV’s five-day free trial because it’s the longest guaranteed trial in the industry. But it’s certainly not your only option.
YouTube TV also carries BET and has a free trial, but the duration varies by a number of unclear factors. You could get anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks to test-drive the streaming service. You can find BET on Fubo as well, but it also has murky free trial terms. You can get up to 30 days to try it out, but this can vary drastically. You could also check out Philo, which currently offers a free seven-day trial.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| BET | + $22 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | + $18 | |
Where else are the 2026 BET Awards streaming?
As mentioned, DIRECTV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all include BET and offer free trials. There are several other live TV streaming services you can use, but they don’t all include free trial periods. Hulu + Live TV includes BET and costs $89 per month. You can use Sling TV as well. A subscription starts at $46 per month.
The 2026 BET Awards are streaming on Paramount+, but you will have to pay for a subscription rather than using a free trial. The Essential tier costs $8 per month, while the Premium option is $13 a month.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
Watch a preview for the 2026 BET Awards
What you need to know about the 2026 BET Awards
This year’s BET Awards are bigger and better than ever before! The show is hosted by Druski live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Throughout the exciting event, the most accomplished names in Black culture will be crowned. It’s a jam-packed show, featuring your favorite artists and actors ready to honor the winners.
There are a few special awards to be presented, and their recipients have been named ahead of the show. Teyana Taylor will receive the Icon of the Year award, while Sylvia Rhone takes home the Ultimate Icon Award. Ms. Lauryn Hill is set to receive the Living Legend Icon Award.
The award categories include Best Actor and Best Actress, Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, Best Movie, Album of the Year, and more, capturing many areas of Black culture.
You can see the complete list of nominees here.
Who’s performing at the 2026 BET Awards?
The 2026 BET Awards feature a full slate of performances. Some of the performers include Alexia Jayy, Ari Lennox, Baby Keem, BJ the Chicago Kid, Durand Bernarr, Erica Campbell, George Clinton, Le’Andria Johnson, Nas, Rapsody, RAYE, and Kenny Iko. They’re joined by Cardi B, Common, Doechii, Don Toliver, French Montana, Kehlani, KWN, Max B, Queen Latifah, Rick Ross, Tems, T.I., and The War and Treaty.
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