Clarkson, Legend, Levine face off in ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’
Clarkson, Legend, Levine face off in ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’
NBC promises new rules, an All-Star mini-competition, and more in Season 29.
In a stark departure from 28 seasons of precedent, there will only be three oversized red chairs on the set of “The Voice” this season. However, in those three chairs will be some of the most decorated coaches in the show’s history. Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine will take part in the first-ever “The Voice: Battle of Champions” season. While the all-new contestants will still have to get chairs to turn, things will be slightly different throughout the season. Find out what this group of A-list coaches has in store when “The Voice” Season 29 premieres on Monday, Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. If you are looking for a live TV streaming service to watch the season premiere, we recommend streaming it with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV. You can also stream it the next day on Peacock.
How to watch ‘The Voice’ Season 29, ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’
- When: Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC
- Stream: Watch with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV or on Peacock the next day.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’
When do episodes of ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’ air?
The 29th season of “The Voice” is set to premiere on Monday, Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. The Blind Auditions premiere will re-air two days later on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m., and from there, the early rounds of the competition will be on Monday nights from 9 to 11 p.m. ET.
However, as they get deeper into the competition, the schedule will change, with episodes airing on Tuesday as well. As of the premiere date, NBC has not released the complete episode schedule, but they have revealed the episode plans through Tuesday, April 14.
| Date | Time (ET) | Episode | Outlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Feb. 23 | 9 p.m. | The Blind Auditions Premiere | NBC |
| Wednesday, Feb. 25 | 8 p.m. | The Blind Auditions Premiere Rerun | NBC |
| Monday, March 2 | 9 p.m. | The Blind Auditions Part 2 | NBC |
| Monday, March 9 | 9 p.m. | The Blind Auditions Part 3 | NBC |
| Monday, March 16 | 9 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
| Monday, March 23 | 9 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
| Monday, March 30 | 9 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
| Monday, April 6 | 9 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
| Monday, April 13 | 9 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
| Tuesday, April 14 | 8 p.m. | TBA | NBC |
Why we recommend watching ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’ on DIRECTV
When it comes to offering the most channels in streaming, every live TV streaming service is chasing DIRECTV. The platform offers the most of The Streamable’s top 35 cable channels and every broadcast network in practically every market in the country, so if you are looking for a breadth of programming options, DIRECTV is a surefire hit. In addition, the streamer has the industry’s best guaranteed free trial. While others can roll out longer options depending on what time of year it is and what qualifications you meet as a customer, DIRECTV offers a five-day trial to all new users. So, if you are specifically looking to watch “The Voice” premiere, this is the option that makes the most sense.
Additionally, last fall, DIRECTV is able to offer an even more compelling package of channels for cord-cutters who were looking to save money on their streaming setup. DIRECTV launched its Genre Packs that allow people to pick curated channel lineups around central themes and genres. There are multiple options that include NBC, so you have a number of different ways to get the entertainment that you want without breaking the bank.
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 watch ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’ for free?
Yes and no. If you want to catch the premiere of “The Voice: Battle of Champions,” you can take advantage of a number of streaming services that offer free trials. However, if you are hoping to watch the entire season without having to pay anything extra, the only way to do that is with an over-the-air antenna.
However, if you are just looking for a streaming service to watch “The Voice” season premiere and nothing else, there are options available for you. DIRECTV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all offer free trials, but they vary in length, so be wary. DIRECTV’s industry-leading trial runs for five days, while Hulu + Live TV’s is a solid three days.
Those are pretty straightforward, but when it comes to the sports-minded streamer Fubo, things can get a little complicated. As The Streamable’s expert David Satin discovered when signing up for the services, figuring out how long Fubo’s trial is — even as you are signing up — can be a bit difficult. Nonetheless, it will be at least one day, with the potential to be as many as seven, depending on a wide range of factors that Fubo does not share publicly.
The YouTube TV trial is said to be “up to two weeks,” but can be as short as two days. So it is difficult to ascertain what you are actually getting before you go through the signup process.
If you are looking to watch the game for free, I would recommend DIRECTV, because that streamer has the longest guaranteed free trial and gives you the best channel options.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
Watch a preview of ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’
What you need to know about ‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’?
For the first time in the history of “The Voice,” there will only be three coaches competing to mentor some of the best undiscovered vocalists in the country. Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine will battle for the right to coach a talented group of all-new contestants. The show is also promising a handful of rule tweaks, but so far is keeping them under wraps.
Additionally, original coach CeeLo Green will be back to guide contestants in a new All-Star Showdown mini-competition. Six artists from past seasons — Renzo (Season 27), Girl Named Tom (Season 21), Javier Colon (Season 1), Jake Hoot (Season 17), Jordan Smith (Season 9), and Maelyn Jarmon (Season 16) — will compete under the mentorship of the Gnarles Barkley frontman.
The Voice
The strongest vocalists from across the United states compete in a blockbusters vocal competition, the winner becomes “The Voice.” The show’s innovative format features four stages of competition: the blind auditions, the battle rounds, the knockouts and, finally, the live performance shows.