CMA Fest 2026 Air Date Announced on ABC and Hulu

Country music’s biggest summer celebration is headed back to primetime. ABC and Hulu are once again teaming up with the Country Music Association to bring viewers front-row access to one of the most star-studded weekends in music, as CMA Fest Presented by SoFi returns with a new pair of hosts and another packed lineup of performances straight from downtown Nashville.

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This year’s three-hour concert special will be hosted by country music star Riley Green and Lara Spencer, marking the duo’s first time leading the annual television event.
The special is set to air Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with streaming available the next day on Hulu.
Filmed during the 53rd annual CMA Fest in Nashville from June 4 through June 7, the special promises to once again showcase massive stadium performances, surprise collaborations, and emotional moments from some of country music’s biggest names.

The event has become a staple of the summer television lineup, blending the excitement of live music with the electric atmosphere of one of the world’s most recognizable country music festivals.

For Riley Green, the hosting role marks another major moment in his continued rise within country music. The multi-award-winning artist has become one of the genre’s most recognizable modern voices thanks to hits like “Different ‘Round Here,” “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” and “There Was This Girl.”

Pairing him with longtime television personality Lara Spencer adds a mix of country authenticity and live-TV experience to the broadcast.
The televised special continues a decades-long tradition for the Country Music Association. What began in 1972 as Fan Fair, a modest gathering with roughly 5,000 attendees, has grown into the longest-running country music festival in the world.
Today, CMA Fest attracts an estimated 95,000 attendees daily and transforms downtown Nashville into a nonstop celebration of live music, artist interactions, and fan experiences.
Beyond the performances, CMA Fest also supports music education initiatives nationwide through the CMA Foundation, with a portion of festival proceeds helping fund programs for students and educators across the country.
The 2026 broadcast also marks the 23rd consecutive year that CMA has produced a summer concert television special for network audiences, further cementing the festival’s place as one of country music’s biggest annual traditions.
Fans unable to attend in person will still get the chance to experience the energy, crowd singalongs, and major musical moments from Nashville when the special airs later this summer.

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"CMA Fest Presented by SoFi" Special Returns to ABC and Hulu With Riley Green and Lara Spencer as Hosts

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