The 2026 Emmy nominations are scheduled to be revealed on the morning of Wednesday, July 8.
While there are some TV series that are practically guaranteed to receive nominations —”Pluribus,” anyone? — one show that became a surprise hit and captivated millions of viewers will not be receiving a single one.
‘Heated Rivalry’ Isn’t Eligible for the Emmy Awards
As The Hollywood Reporter points out, “Heated Rivalry” may have received a lot of love from fans, but the series — about two closeted gay hockey players who have a secret and oh-so-steamy affair — will be shunned by the Emmys.
The reason: the show was produced and funded in Canada. According to Emmy eligibility rules, any shows financed by companies based outside of the U.S. are not eligible for Emmy consideration. Since the show was produced by Canadian media conglomerate Bell Media, and airs in that country on Bell’s Crave streaming service, “Heated Rivalry” will be shut out from nominations.
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Connor Storie May Be the Show’s Only Emmy Hope
In Canada, “Heated Rivalry” received a tsunami of wins at the 2026 edition of the Canadian Screen Awards, an annual award gala that honors the best of Canadian film and television.
In fact, star Hudson Williams took home the Canadian Screen Award for best lead performer, one of 16 awards the show received.
His co-star Connor Storrie, however, wasn’t eligible — because he’s American, and therefore ineligible for that particular award. However, that knife cuts both ways; his nationality makes him eligible for Emmy consideration, so there’s a chance he might receive a nomination — but it won’t be for “Heated Rivalry.”
Could ‘SNL’ Bring Connor Storrie an Emmy Nod?
As it happens, Storrie was enlisted to host “Saturday Night Live” back in February.
His performance was widely praised, and he even brought co-star Williams along to join him in a sketch.
As a result, there’s a possibility he might receive a nomination in the category of best guest actor in a comedy series.
What to Expect from ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2
Given the massive heat generated by “Heated Rivalry” when it streamed on HBO Max, it’s a no-brainer that a second season is on the way.
During Entertainment Weekly‘s reporting on a panel that the “Heated Rivalry” showrunner Jacob Tierney participated in, he confirmed some details about the upcoming season.
Given that the first adapted author Rachel Reid’s novel “Heated Rivalry,” the next season will tackle the second book in her series, “The Long Game.” That book jumps ahead 10 years, with hockey stars Shane (Williams) and Ilya (Storrie) having kept their love a secret for an entire decade.
“‘Long Game’ is … so long and it’s so gamey, like eating venison,” Tierney joked before getting serious.
“It really is different,” he continued, “and the challenge, from an adaptation standpoint, is you’re in much more serious territory. There’s still lots of flirting, and there’s lots of sex, but it’s this kind of danger. This kind of ‘hotel room, adolescent sex’ stuff is largely gone.”
As Tierney put it, his goal is to capture the essence of that second novel, which he described as “an emotionally sophisticated book that takes this couple seriously.”
