2026 ACM Awards Set to Return to MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has announced that the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 17, 2026, after spending the past three years at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas. This marks a significant homecoming for the ACM, as the MGM Grand has a rich history with the awards, having hosted the event from 2006 to 2014 and again in 2016 and 2018-2019. The venue is not only a staple for the ACMs but also a prominent site for other major awards shows, including the Billboard Music Awards and the Latin Grammy Awards. Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, expressed excitement about returning to Las Vegas, stating, “There’s no better place to host an exciting, global country music celebration than fabulous Las Vegas!”
This year’s ceremony will be particularly notable as it will stream live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, marking the fourth consecutive year for this streaming format. The decision to hold the awards on a Sunday night is seen as a strategic move, as Sunday has become the preferred night for awards shows since 2021. The ACM Awards Week will kick off on May 15, 2026, with tickets for the event and surrounding festivities set to go on sale in early 2026. While the host for the ceremony has yet to be announced, Reba McEntire, who has hosted the last two ceremonies, is a strong contender. If she hosts again, she will tie Bob Hope’s record for hosting the most iterations of a major awards show, a testament to her enduring legacy in country music.
Established in 1966, the ACM Awards is the longest-running country music awards show, having first been televised in 1972. The transition to Prime Video in 2022 marked a historic moment as it became the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, which earned the show a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding technical direction. The ACMs have predominantly been held in Las Vegas since 2003, with only a few exceptions, including the pandemic years and a notable event at AT&T Stadium in Texas. As the ACM Awards continue to evolve, the blend of country and pop collaborations, such as those seen with Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs, keeps the ceremony fresh and appealing to a broad audience, ensuring that the ACM Awards remain a highlight in the country music calendar.
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas next year following three years at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.
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The show will stream live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Sunday, May 17. This will be the fourth consecutive year that the ACM Awards have streamed on Prime Video and it will make the show’s first time on a Sunday night, regarded as the optimal night for awards show viewing, since 2021. The show was held on a Thursday night in its first three outings on Prime Video.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a place that holds a lot of history and special memories for the Academy,”
Damon Whiteside
, CEO, Academy of Country Music, said in a statement. “It truly feels like a homecoming for us. There’s no better place to host an exciting, global country music celebration than fabulous Las Vegas!”
Jay Penske, CEO, Dick Clark Productions, added: “2026 is going to be a very special year for the ACMs, and partnering with MGM Resorts strengthens our deep commitment to delivering world-class entertainment and experiences for country music fans and partners alike.”
The ACM Awards were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena from 2006-14 and returned to the venue in 2016 and again from 2018-19. The venue has also hosted the Billboard Music Awards, the Latin Grammy Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival and more.
ACM Awards Week will kick off in Las Vegas on Friday, May 15. Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards and surrounding ACM Awards Week events will go on sale in early 2026.
The show’s host has yet to be named.
Reba McEntire
hosted the last two ACM Awards ceremonies, the latest in the 18 total that she has hosted or co-hosted. If she hosts one more ACM Awards ceremony, she’ll tie
Bob Hope
’s record for hosting or co-hosting the most iterations of a major awards show. Hope fronted the Oscars 19 times from 1940 through 1978. McEntire first co-hosted the ACM Awards in 1986.
In recent years, the ACM Awards ceremony has featured notable pairings of pop and country superstars, including Ed Sheeran & Luke Combs, Dua Lipa & Chris Stapleton, and Backstreet Boys & Rascal Flatts.
Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running country music awards show. The Country Music Association Awards were first presented in 1967. The CMA Awards were, however, the first country awards show to be televised, in 1968. The ACM Awards were first televised in 1972.
The ACM Awards aired on all three major networks – ABC (1972–78), NBC (1979–97) and CBS (1998–2021), before moving to Prime Video in 2022, when it made history as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream. The 2022 ACM Awards ceremony received a Primetime Emmy nod for outstanding technical direction, camerawork, video control for a special. It was the show’s first Emmy nod in 36 years.
The ACMs have been held in Las Vegas in all but six years since 2003. In 2015, the show was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; in the pandemic years of 2020-21, the show was held at three iconic venues in Nashville; and for the last three years it was held at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering Celeb & Ent news.
