What sports will be available on HBO Max in 2026?
What sports will be available on HBO Max in 2026?
With March Madness coming up fast, we thought it was a good time to refresh readers on the live sports HBO Max offers.
When HBO Max relaunched with content sourced from discovery+ in 2023, there was still something missing: live sports. That came in October of the same year, the streamer — then called just Max — added the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On, which carries live sporting events from TBS, TNT, and truTV; as well as streaming-exclusive matches as well.
The add-on configuration of live sports on HBO Max was eventually abandoned, but there are still plenty of live events to enjoy on the service. What sports will you find on HBO Max in 2026? We’ll give you the details you need right here!
What sports are found on HBO Max?
What live sports will HBO Max offer in 2026?
Throughout the spring and summer and into the fall, HBO Max will continue to stream MLB regular season and playoff games, including AL and NL Division and Championship series in alternating years. Any games appearing on TBS will stream on HBO Max.
The NHL will continue to live on HBO Max as well, with up to 72 regular season games, the Winter Classic, and Stanley Cup Playoff series — including the Finals.
AEW wrestling airs on HBO Max as well, including weekly episodes of “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Collision.”
NASCAR Cup series races that appear on Turner channels are also streamed on HBO Max.
There are plenty of college sports to enjoy on HBO Max. The streamer carries games from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament annually, from the First Four all the way through the National Championship. HBO Max gets Final Four and Championship games in even-numbered years until 2032 — including 2026. All March Madness games airing on truTV will stream on HBO Max, but the service will not offer any games appearing on CBS channels. In addition, the streamer began offering Big East and Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball starting in 2025.
TNT Sports also now has some college football rights that will be shared with HBO Max. These include the Mountain West and Big 12, as well as College Football Playoff quarterfinal and semifinal games sublicensed from ESPN.
HBO Max also gets soccer games from the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National teams, such as friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches. The SheBelieves Cup is also on the streamer.
The French Open came to TNT Sports and HBO Max for the first time in 2025, and will continue to stream on the platform for the foreseeable future. The streamer also carries some cycling events, such as the Giro d’Italia, and “The Match” exhibition golf matches.
What sports could HBO Max add in the future?
It’s hard to say if WBD will make any meaningful pursuits of live sports in the future. As of the time of this writing, the company is mired in a quandary regarding whether or not it will be sold, and to whom. The company has accepted a bid from Netflix worth more than $80 billion total, but Paramount Skydance is attempting to purchase WBD by every method available to it as well.
If it is acquired by either outlet, there will likely be more sports acquisitions on the horizon. Until more clarity is available on the future ownership of WBD, however, major live sports deals are likely on hold.
Do you have to pay extra to watch sports on HBO Max?
Originally, HBO Max planned to charge an extra $10 per month to allow viewers on every plan to watch the B/R add-on, offering it for free as an introductory promotion. But in February 2025, the streamer announced that it would keep the add-on free for customers on its ad-free subscription plans.
That means you won’t be able to watch any live sports on the ad-supported tier of the service, which costs $11 per month. You can only see them on the Standard plan ($18.49 per month) or Premium ($23 per month), which both deliver the rest of the HBO Max catalog as well.
Can you stream sports on Max in 4K?
Although HBO Max offers some on-demand content in Ultra-High-Definition 4K in its Premium plan, live sports are not included. However, viewers can stream in full 1080p HD, as well as watch using Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR 10 with select live sports broadcasts.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.