British Open 2026 Viewer's Guide: How to watch, TV times, streaming options, featured coverage from Royal Birkdale
Warren Little
Well, we’re somehow already at the final men's major of the calendar year. And so far, we’ve seen Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai and Wyndham Clark win at Augusta, Aronimink and Shinnecock Hills, respectively. This is one more chance for Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and the best golfers in the world to add to their already illustrious trophy case … until next year. Plus, Scheffler will have a chance to go back-to-back as the Champion Golfer of the Year, something that hasn't happened since Padraig Harrington in 2007-08 (the second coming at the same site as this year's event: Royal Birkdale).
NBC Sports and the R&A will deliver wall-to-wall TV and streaming coverage across NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock—with Peacock's Featured Group feeds adding streaming-first options from the first shot to the last putt. All told, more than 300 hours of golf will be available for fans who can't get enough of the oldest golf tournament in the world.
How can you watch all the action? Check out our handy Viewer's Guide for all the times for various TV and streaming coverage so you won't miss a minute of golf.
Royal Birkdale hosts The Open for the 11th time since 1954—a total exceeded only by St. Andrews in that time. The Southport links last staged the championship in 2017, when Jordan Spieth raised the claret jug.
Scottie Scheffler returns as Champion Golfer of the Year after his win at Royal Portrush. A 156-player field of exempt players, Open Qualifying Series winners and the Last-Chance Qualifier survivors how to claim the label in 2026..
All ET times reflect the network windows NBC Sports has used for recent Opens played in the UK. Exact tee times — and precise broadcast start/end times — are confirmed by NBC Sports and the R&A closer to Championship week.
Weekend main broadcast home, picking up Saturday and Sunday coverage each morning through the claret jug presentation.
Carries the early-morning windows all four days, including the entirety of Thursday and Friday main coverage.
Simulcasts every NBC and USA Network window and adds exclusive Featured Groups and Multiview streams from the first tee shot.
Full week of coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, with dedicated build-up programming.
Canadian broadcast partner carrying live coverage across the championship.
Live scoring, tee times, hole-by-hole course guides and on-demand highlights—free anywhere in the world.
Follow marquee pairings in dedicated feeds on Peacock, theopen.com and the R&A app throughout every round.
Southport sits five hours ahead of the East Coast. Thursday and Friday earliest tee times (around 6:30 AM local) land near 1:30 AM ET.
Thu & Fri: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 6:30 AM. Sat: Golf from 9 AM, Main Event from 11 AM. Sun: Golf from 8 AM, Main Event from 10 AM.
Live audio coverage streams free from theopen.com, beginning with the Preview Show on Tuesday, 14 July and running through Sunday's finish.
Royal Birkdale previously hosted The Open in 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008 and 2017. Prize fund and final field details will be confirmed by the R&A closer to Championship week.