The award celebration returns to the renowned MGM Grand Garden Arena
The Academy of Country Music (ACM), Prime Video, and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) have announced that the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will return to the dazzling city of Las Vegas following three successful years in Texas. Taking place at the world-renowned MGM Grand Garden Arena, the award celebration will stream live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Sunday, May 17, 2026, continuing the groundbreaking legacy of the ACM Awards as the first-ever major awards show to livestream exclusively.
“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. It truly feels like a homecoming for us,” states Damon Whiteside, CEO, Academy of Country Music. “There’s no better place to host an exciting, global Country Music celebration than fabulous Las Vegas!”
The announcement follows 2025’s historic 60th anniversary show, which delivered an unforgettable night hosted by Reba McEntire and featured powerhouse performances and appearances from over 40 artists, including Alan Jackson, Backstreet Boys, Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton, Ella Langley, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, LeAnn Rimes, Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Wynonna Judd, and more. The broadcast reached audiences in over 240 countries and territories, solidifying the ACM Awards’ place as a global music phenomenon.
Returning to the Sunday night timeslot, the 61st ACM Awards promises to build on the momentum of its milestone year, celebrating the artists, collaborations, and moments that continue to shape Country Music. Additional details will be announced in the coming months. ACM Awards Week will kick off in Las Vegas on Friday, May 15th. Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards and surrounding ACM Awards Week events will go on sale in early 2026.
Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running country music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in collaboration with Prime Video. Since forming its partnership for the 57th ACM Awards, the show has been hosted by legends Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, and Reba McEntire, featured the biggest collaborations with superstar pairings such as Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs, Dua Lipa and Chris Stapleton, Rascal Flatts and Backstreet Boys, and became the first country music awards show to be nominated for an Emmy Award.
