2026 CMA Fest Gets A TV Special: Learn How To Watch
on May 28, 2026 • Updated Jun 26, 2026
The 2026 CMA Fest was held in Nashville from June 4 to June 7. Some parts of the multi-day festival were free, but tickets were required for the evening headlining performances at Nissan Stadium.
Although the lineup featured over 150 performers, fans were surprised to see that an A-list artist was initially missing from the roster…Lainey Wilson.
CMA Fest listened to the demand and got Wilson to join the lineup as a headliner at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, June 6!
“This is the kind of night you’ll be talking about long after the confetti settles,” the CMA teased in a press release about Wilson’s then-upcoming appearance at the festival.
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Those who didn’t attend CMA Fest this year will still have the opportunity to enjoy some of its performances. Portions of the festival were filmed for a TV special that aired on ABC on Thursday, June 25, at 8/7c.
What if you missed the special when it aired? Thankfully, there’s another way to watch it! The show was made available to stream on Hulu the following day (June 26).
“Grab your crew, turn up the volume, and get ready to experience CMA Fest from wherever you are,” the CMA shared in a press release about the TV special.
The hosts of last year’s (2025) special were Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde. This year, country singer and Marshals star Riley Green hosted the program alongside Good Morning America‘s Lara Spencer.
A press release from the CMA about Green and Spencer’s hosting duties promises that the TV special will include “unforgettable performances, surprise collabs and pure CMA magic, all on your screen.”
Who Are The Other Artists On The 2026 CMA Fest Lineup?
As mentioned above, the CMA Fest lineup featured over 150 artists this year.
Some of the fan-favorite singers who performed at the various daytime stages included Carter Faith, Lauren Alaina, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tucker Wetmore, Craig Campbell, Emily Ann Roberts, Drake White, and John Foster.
In the evenings, artists such as Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, and Lainey Wilson entertained thousands of fans at Nissan Stadium.
Fans who tuned in to the TV special on June 25 witnessed highlights from these artists’ sets, including the surprise duet between Ella Langley and Gretchen Wilson. The duo joined forces for a feisty and fiery rendition of Wilson’s “Here for the Party.”
Catch a video of that collaboration below. Who were you most excited to see perform on the CMA Fest TV special?
