2026 Awards Season: Key Dates and How Aussies Can Watch
The 2026 awards season is packed with major ceremonies, from the Critics’ Choice to the Oscars. Find out when and where to catch all the action, and which films are leading the charge this year.
The annual awards circuit is back in full swing for 2026, kicking off on 4 January with the 31st Critics’ Choice Awards. After a bumper year for films in 2025, especially those that managed to balance critical acclaim with box office success, there’s plenty of chatter about which titles will come out on top this time around.
Big Names and Top Contenders
Last year saw a strong showing from directors like Ryan Coogler with Sinners, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice. With the major ceremonies just around the corner, here’s a rundown of when and how you can tune in to catch all the glitz and drama.
Critics’ Choice Awards – 4 January
The 31st Critics’ Choice Awards will see Chelsea Handler back as host. The red carpet kicks off at 2:00pm PT (5:00pm ET), with the main event airing live on E! and USA Network from 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT). For those in the States, streaming is available on Peacock. Voting wraps up on 2 January. Sinners leads the pack with 17 nominations, including nods for Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture. One Battle After Another isn’t far behind, scoring 14 nominations.
Golden Globes and Grammys
The 83rd Golden Globe Awards are set for 11 January, airing live on CBS with Nikki Glaser returning as host. The red carpet starts at 9:15am PT (12:15pm ET), and the ceremony streams on Paramount+ from 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT). Voting closes on 3 January. Paul Thomas Anderson’s film is again a frontrunner with nine nominations, while The White Lotus leads the TV categories.
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on 1 February, broadcast on CBS and streaming via Paramount+. The red carpet is expected to start at 3:00pm ET (12:00pm PT), with the main show from 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT). Kendrick Lamar is out in front with nine nominations after a strong showing last year. Voting ends 5 January.
BAFTA, Actor Awards, and the Oscars
The 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) will take place on 22 February, hosted by Alan Cumming. UK viewers can catch it on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while those in the US can stream via BritBox. The red carpet is expected to start at 3:00pm GMT (10:00am ET/7:00am PT). Nominations will be announced on 27 January, with voting closing 17 February.
The 32nd Annual Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards) are set for 1 March, streaming exclusively on Netflix from 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT). The red carpet starts at 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT), and nominations will be revealed on 7 January. Voting wraps up 27 February.
Wrapping up the season, the 98th Academy Awards will air live on 15 March, with Conan O’Brien returning as host. The red carpet coverage begins at 6:30pm ET (3:30pm PT), and the ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on Hulu from 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT). Final nominations are set to be announced on 22 January, with voting closing 3 March.
Global Viewing Times and Leading Films
For those watching from different corners of the globe, here’s a quick look at the main event times:
Critics Choice Awards: 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT (US), 12:00am (UK), 4:00am (India), 3:00am (Middle East), 8:00am (Japan)
Golden Globes: 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT (US), 1:00am (UK), 5:30am (India), 4:00am (Middle East), 9:00am (Japan)
Grammys: 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT (US), 1:00am (UK), 5:30am (India), 4:00am (Middle East), 9:00am (Japan)
BAFTA: 2:00pm ET/11:00am PT (US), 7:00pm (UK)
Actor Awards: 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT (US), 1:00am (UK), 5:30am (India), 4:00am (Middle East), 9:00am (Japan)
Oscars: 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT (US), 12:00am (UK), 4:30am (India), 3:00am (Middle East), 8:00am (Japan)
With Sinners and One Battle After Another consistently topping the nominations, it looks like these two will be the ones to watch as the 98th Academy Awards draw near.
Who do you reckon will take out the top gongs this year? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.