The 78th Emmy Awards are almost here. And yep, that means it is time to start paying attention to everything happening before the actual awards ceremony. For a lot of fans, following the fashion (and occasional drama) of the red carpet is just as much fun as watching the trophies get handed out, especially when it comes to seeing what the biggest stars of television are wearing.
Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8:00pm ET on NBC and Peacock from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the main show will air live. And “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay will host the ceremony, giving fans another reason to tune in.
But you do not have to wait until then to start following along. There are several ways to keep up with the 2026 Emmys red carpet, whether you want to watch the coverage live or just check in throughout the day.
1. Start Early With E!’s Emmys Coverage
E! is getting its coverage started before the red-carpet show, which means fans can start following the arrivals even earlier.
“Live From E!: Countdown to The Emmys” will air Monday from 5:00pm ET to 6:00pm ET, with Erin Lim Rhodes, Lance Bass, and Ciara Miller hosting.
Then, “Live From E!: The Emmys” will take over from 6:00pm ET to 8:00pm ET, with Justin Sylvester, Keltie Knight, and Will Marfuggi hosting the main red-carpet coverage.
Honestly, if you want to watch as much of the red carpet as possible, this is probably one of the easiest options. You can start with the Countdown and stay with E! right up until the awards ceremony begins.
Yep, there is plenty of time to see the stars arrive, check out the fashion, and hear from some of the night’s biggest nominees.
2. Follow NBC’s Emmys TikTok Livestream
NBC is giving fans another way to follow the red carpet with its official TikTok livestream.
“TikTok Live From the Red Carpet” will stream Monday beginning at 7:00pm ET to 8:00pm ET on NBC’s official TikTok account. The pre-show will give fans another opportunity to see celebrity arrivals and red-carpet interviews before the Emmys begin.
This could be a particularly good option for anyone who plans to follow the Emmys from their phone rather than sitting in front of the television for the entire evening.
And honestly, having a livestream available on TikTok makes it pretty easy to check in while doing something else before the ceremony starts.
3. Watch CNN & Variety’s Red Carpet Coverage
Two major players, CNN and Variety, are also teaming up to bring fans another red-carpet option.
“CNN & Variety Red Carpet Live: TV’s Biggest Night” begins at 5:00pm ET Monday and will stream on CNN.com and through the CNN app (with a subscription).
Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN correspondent, and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety co-president and co-editor-in-chief, will host the coverage.
Let’s be real, there is no shortage of ways to follow the Emmys this year. If you want another perspective on the arrivals, interviews, and everything happening on the red carpet, this gives you another option to check out.
4. Follow the Emmys With People
Not everyone has time to sit down and watch several hours of red-carpet coverage, and that is where People comes in.
People will have Emmys coverage throughout the day on people.com/tag/emmy-awards, including coverage of nominees and stars as they arrive. The magazine will also share Emmys content across its social media platforms.
That means fans can keep checking in throughout the day without having to commit to watching an entire pre-show.
Whether you are mainly interested in the fashion, celebrity interviews, or just want to see which stars have made their way to the Peacock Theater, People is another easy way to stay updated.
5. Keep Up With Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is also covering the 2026 Emmys throughout the day. Fans can head to ew.com/emmys and the publication’s social platforms for red-carpet coverage, interviews, and other Emmys-related content.
It seems like this year’s ceremony has given fans plenty of options for following along, even if they cannot watch the red carpet from start to finish. A quick check of Entertainment Weekly can help you catch some of the biggest moments without having to sit through hours of coverage.
And let’s be real, sometimes you just want to see the best looks and biggest celebrity moments without committing your entire afternoon or evening to the pre-show.
How to Watch the 2026 Emmys Live
Of course, all of that red-carpet coverage eventually leads to the main event.
The 2026 Emmy Awards will begin at 8:00pm ET on NBC and simultaneous streaming via Peacock, with Hargitay taking the stage as host. After all the arrivals, interviews, and fashion moments, the night’s nominees will finally find out who is taking home television’s biggest prizes.
It seems like fans have plenty of ways to follow the excitement before the ceremony begins, so whether you are watching the red carpet live or checking in online, there should be plenty to see before the first Emmy is handed out.
