How to Watch the 2026 BET Awards Online Without Cable

By Alexis Mikulski Ruiz

Alexis Mikulski Ruiz

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The 2026 BET Awards are tonight, with celebrities like Cardi B, Doechii, Nas, Queen Latifah, Common, and Rick Ross, among others, set to perform for live audiences. The event will take place at the Peacock Theater located in Los Angeles and is hosted by Druski, a content creator and comedian.

It will air on BET at 8 p.m. EST, but if you don’t have a traditional cable service, you can still watch the event with the help of streaming networks like DirecTV, Fubo, Philo, and Hulu + Live TV, all of which offer free trials so you can tune in at no added cost.

However, if you’re looking for a longer-term commitment and want to continue watching BET and all of the shows they have to offer after the awards programming — like Tyler Perry’s Sistas and Love & Hip Hop: Miami — you can opt for a service like Sling, which does not offer a free trial but has BET available at a competitive price.

At a Glance: Where to Watch the 2026 BET Awards for Free

• Channel: BET
• Date, time: Sunday, June 28 at 8 p.m. EST
• Streaming: DirecTV, Philo, Fubo, Sling, Hulu + Live TV

The BET Awards started back in 2001 and, according to the official site, “honors people in Black culture, including writers, musicians, filmmakers and more.” The nominee list is stacked this year, with Cardi B leading the pack with six total nominations, while Kendrick Lamar is right behind her with five.

One of the biggest awards being given out is Album of the Year, and contenders include Cardi B (Am I the Drama?), Tyler, the Creator (Don’t Tap the Glass), and Mariah the Scientist (Hearts Sold Separately). In addition to that accolade, you’ll also see awards being given out for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Best Movie, Best Actor/Actress, and Best Sportsman/Sportswoman of the Year.

How to Watch the 2026 BET Awards Online Without Cable for Free

If you want to watch the celebration but don’t have cable, then you can watch the 2026 BET Awards through a streaming service like DirecTV, Philo, Fubo, Sling, or Hulu + Live TV.

DirecTV

➤ $34.99/month (best plan) ➤ Five-day free trial ➤ Up to 185+ channels

DirecTV is the best way to stream BET. The brand’s MyEntertainment package has more than 90 channels, including BET, so viewers can watch the awards, and costs $34.99/month. Plus, you can try it with a five-day free trial to stream the 2026 BET Awards tonight.

Philo

➤ $25.00/month ➤ Free trial ➤ Up to 70+ channels

Fans can watch the 2026 BET Awards tonight without cable through a Philo subscription. The streaming service carries multiple networks, including BET, and offers a seven-day free trial. After which, the monthly cost for the Essential plan is $25.00.

Fubo

➤ $54.99 (for the first month) ➤ Free trial ➤ Up to 300+ channels

If you want another free trial option, Fubo currently offers new subscribers a five-day free trial. This gives you more than enough time to stream the 2026 BET Awards before the monthly price goes up to $54.99 for the first month, and then $64.99 thereafter.

Sling

➤ $45.99/month ➤ Short-term passes available ➤ Up to 50+ channels

Although there is no free trial, Sling’s Orange plan is still one of the best ways to stream BET. In addition to the popular network, you can get access to 34 channels, including ESPN and TNT, starting at $45.99 per month. You can also opt for the one-day pass priced at $4.99.

Hulu + Live TV

➤ $89.99/month ➤ Three-day free trial ➤ 100+ channels

Hulu + Live TV will also give viewers access to the 2026 BET Awards. It comes with a three-day free trial, and if you decide to keep the service, you’ll also get access to Hulu’s on-demand library, along with Disney+ and ESPN+.

2026 BET Awards Date, Time

The 2026 BET Awards take place tonight, Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m. EST. It will stream on BET, and viewers without cable can watch it for free with a trial to either DirecTV, Fubo, Sling, Philo, or Hulu + Live TV.

2026 BET Awards Performers, Nominations

There are 25 artists performing at the 2026 BET Awards, including Alexia Jayy, Ari Lennox, Baby Keem, BJ the Chicago Kid, Cardi B, Common, Doechii, Don Toliver, Durand Bernarr, Erica Campbell, French Montana, George Clinton, Kehlani, Kenny Iko, kwn, Le’Andria Johnson, Max B, Nas, Queen Latifah, Rapsody, Raye, Rick Ross, Tems, T.I., and the War and Treaty.

Rolling Stone reported the official list of all of the 2026 BET Awards categories and nominees in this article here, which you can also find below.

The Fashion Vanguard Award (NEW) A$AP Rocky Bad Bunny Beyoncé Cardi B Colman Domingo Doechii Rihanna Teyana Taylor Zendaya

The Pulse Award (NEW) 85 South Show Baby, This Is Keke Palmer Charlamagne Tha God Don Lemon Druski It Is What It Is Joe and Jada On the Radar R&B Money Podcast

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist Ari Lennox Coco Jones Ella Mai Jill Scott Kehlani Mariah the Scientist Olivia Dean SZA Tems Best Male R&B/Pop Artist Brent Faiyaz Bruno Mars Bryson Tiller Chris Brown Durand Bernarr GIVĒON Leon Thomas October London Usher

Best Group 41 Clipse De La Soul FLO French Montana & Max B Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz Nas & DJ Premier Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon Wizkid & Asake Best Collaboration “Chains & Whips” — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar “Errtime Remix” — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto “Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat “Good Flirts” — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd “Is It a Crime” — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis “It Depends (The Remix)” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher “Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz “wgft” — Gunna feat. Burna Boy

Best Male Hip Hop Artist A$AP Rocky Baby Keem BigXthaPlug DaBaby Don Toliver Drake J. Cole Kendrick Lamar T.I.

Best Female Hip Hop Artist Cardi B Coi Leray Doechii Doja Cat GloRilla Latto Megan Thee Stallion Monaleo YK Niece

Video of the Year “100” — Ella Mai “Anxiety” — Doechii “Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist “Chanel” — Tyla “Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyana Taylor “Folded” — Kehlani “LET ‘EM KNOW” — T.I. “luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Video Director of the Year A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit Anderson .Paak Benny Boom Cactus Jack Cardi B & Patientce Foster Cole Bennett Director X Hype Williams Teyana “Spike-Tey” Taylor

Best New Artist Belly Gang Kushington DESTIN CONRAD JayDon kwn Miles Minnick Monaleo Olivia Dean RAYE Trap Dickey

Album of the Year Am I the Drama? — Cardi B Don’t Tap the Glass — Tyler, the Creator Everything Is A Lot. — Wale Hearts Sold Separately — Mariah the Scientist Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse MUTT Deluxe: Heel — Leon Thomas The Fall-Off — J. Cole The Romantic — Bruno Mars

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award “Able” — Kirk Franklin “ABLE (REMIX)” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell “All to Thee” — BeBe Winans “Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard “At the Cross” — CeCe Winans “Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend “Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin “Headphones” — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.

Best Actress Angela Bassett Ayo Edebiri Chase Infiniti Coco Jones Cynthia Erivo Keke Palmer Quinta Brunson Regina Hall Teyana Taylor

Best Actor Aaron Pierre Aldis Hodge Anthony Mackie Colman Domingo Damson Idris Delroy Lindo Denzel Washington Michael B. Jordan Sterling K. Brown

YoungStars Award Daria Johns Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth Heiress Harris Jazzy’s World TV Lela Hoffmeister North West Thaddeus J. Mixson VanVan

Best Movie Highest 2 Lowest Him Number One on the Call Sheet One Battle After Another Relationship Goals Ruth & Boaz Sinners Wicked: For Good

Sportswoman of the Year Award A’ja Wilson — Basketball Angel Reese — Basketball Claressa Shields — Boxing Coco Gauff — Tennis Flau’jae Johnson — Basketball Gabby Thomas — Track & Field Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics Naomi Osaka — Tennis Sha’Carri Richardson — Track & Field

Sportsman of the Year Award Aaron Judge — Baseball Anthony Edwards — Basketball Caleb Williams — Football Jalen Brunson — Basketball Jalen Hurts — Football LeBron James — Basketball Shedeur Sanders — Football Stephen Curry — Basketball

BET Her “Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard “Be Great” — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty “Beautiful People” — Jill Scott “First” — Tems “girl, get up.” — Doechii feat. SZA “Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat “Gorgeous” — Doja Cat “Lady Lady” — Olivia Dean

Viewers’ Choice “Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist “Chains & Whips” — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar “Chanel” — Tyla “Folded” — Kehlani “I Just Might” — Bruno Mars “It Depends” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller “Man I Need” — Olivia Dean “Outside” — Cardi B “Raindance” — Dave & Tems “Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz