News networks are gearing up for their biggest night of the year as voters nationwide head to the polls for the 2026 midterms. This year’s biggest question is which party will control the House and the Senate (all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are up for election),
which has major implications for the second half of President Donald Trump’s term.
At a Glance: How to Watch the Midterms
- TV channels: CNN, Fox News, NBC News, MS Now, CBS News, ABC News
- Stream for free: DirecTV, Fubo, YouTube TV
It’s also a pivotal night for America’s biggest TV news networks, which face more competition from online pundits and shows than ever. To draw larger audiences, networks like CNN, Fox News, and MS Now are beefing up their election night coverage, promising more data, dynamic commentary, and engaging visualization than before.
If you’re looking to keep up with midterm election results, read on. Ahead is a quick guide on how cord-cutters can livestream election night coverage online for free and what to expect from all the major news networks.
Where to Stream All Midterm Election Coverage Online Free
Three of the best live-TV streaming services that carry news networks are DirecTV, Fubo, and YouTube TV. All of these offer free trials that you can use to watch midterm election coverage for free. Here are full details for these services; scroll down to learn more about coverage on each channel.
DirecTV
DirecTV carries most news networks in its MyNews Genre Pack and all of its larger Streaming Packages. These plans start at $44.99 a month, but you’ll get a five-day free trial and a discount on your first month.
FREE TRIAL
Fubo
Another one of the best all-around live-TV streaming services is Fubo, which carries most major news channels in both of its English-language packages. Subscriptions begin with a five-day free trial, and pricing starts at $88.99 a month, but you’ll also get up to $30 off your first month.
FREE TRIAL
YouTube TV
You can also stream Election Night coverage for free with a trial to YouTube TV. Free trials last between five and 21 days. After that, plans are discounted for the first two to five months before pricing settles at $71.99+.
2026 Election Night Channels, Coverage
Here’s a brief rundown of what the major news networks have planned for election night 2026 coverage:
CNN will start its main Election Night in America broadcast at 4 p.m. ET. Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper will co-anchor the broadcast from Washington, D.C., Dana Bash will provide analysis of key Senate races, Kaitlan Collins will report on the Trump administration’s reactions, and Erin Burnett will lead a panel from Texas. John King will also be back in front of his “magic wall” to help visualize and break down results.
Fox News’ Democracy 26 will kick off at 6 p.m. ET. Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will co-anchor, and network personalities including Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham will also provide commentary. The network says it will also introduce upgraded augmented-reality graphics for viewers to follow results and other data.
NBC News will provide 13 hours of election night coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Coverage will be led by Savannah Guthrie, Tom Llamas, Kristen Welker, and Hallie Jackson. Of course, Steve Kornacki will also return to man the “big board,” and the network will have a dedicated Kornacki Cam livestream.
MS Now’s election night coverage, dubbed We the People, will start at 6 p.m., with Rachel Maddow at the helm. Nicolle Wallace, Chris Hayes, Jen Psaki, Lawrence O’Donnell, and Michael Steele will be among the other featured reporters. MS Now will also have a “big board,” which will be operated by Ali Velshi.
CBS News will put on America Decides: Election 2026 at 7 p.m. ET. It will be helmed by Tony Dokoupil and Norah O’Donnell, and they’ll be joined by Gayle King, Margaret Brennan, Robert Costa, and others.
ABC News kicks things off with Election Night: Vote 2026 at 7 p.m. ET with anchor David Muir leading a seven-hour broadcast. He’ll be joined by Linsey Davis, Martha Raddatz, Jonathan Karl, Mary Bruce, and others.
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