Australian Open 2026: How to watch semifinals matches without cable, full schedule, where to stream free and more

It's time for the 2026 Australian Open. This week, some of the biggest names in tennis are playing Down Under at the Australian Open. The tournament has reached the semifinals. Coverage is airing across ESPN and ESPN2. The entire tournament — including qualifying — will be available to stream for ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Here's what you need to know about the 2026 Australian Open.

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:

Dates: Jan. 17 - Feb. 1, 2026

Advertisement

Location: Melbourne Park

TV channel: ESPN, ESPN2

Streaming: ESPN+

When is the 2026 Australian Open?

The 2026 Australian Open tournament officially kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 18, and runs through Feb 1.

Australian Open channel:

In the U.S., the Australian Open will air across ESPN, with the entirety of the tournament streaming on ESPN+ for Unlimited subscribers. Select tournament coverage will also air on ESPN2, before moving to ESPN for the semifinals and beyond.

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open:

Where to watch the 2026 Australian Open without cable:

If you want to catch every match of the Australian Open and don’t currently subscribe to ESPN+, cable or a live TV streaming service, in Australia a majority of the action will be streaming free with ads on 9Now.

Advertisement

Don't live in the land down under? Don't worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether you’re looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to tennis coverage without a cable package, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.

Australian Open 2026 schedule:

All times Eastern

Wednesday, January 28

(Day 11) Men’s and Women’s Quarterfinals: 3:00 a.m.

(Day 12) Women’s Semifinals: 7:00 p.m.

Advertisement

Thursday, January 29

(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 8:00 p.m.

Friday, January 30

(Day 13) Men’s Semifinal: 3:30 a.m.

Saturday, January 31

(Day 14) Women’s Final: 3:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 1

(Day 15) Men’s Final: 3:30 a.m.

Who is playing in the 2026 Australian Open?

The top 10 seeded players for the singles draws are listed below.

Men’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026

1. Carlos Alcaraz

2. Jannik Sinner

3. Alexander Zverev

4. Novak Djokovic

5. Felix Auger-Aliassime

Women’s singles seeds for the Australian Open 2026

1. Aryna Sabalenka

2. Iga Swiatek

3. Amanda Anisimova

4. Coco Gauff

5. Elena Rybakina

Australian Open prize money:

For 2026, the men's and women's singles winners of the Australian Open each get $4,150,000, with the runner-up receiving $2,150,000 and Semi-finalists $1,250,000.

Advertisement

More ways to watch the 2026 Australian Open:

Click here to read article