If you’re searching for the Open TV schedule, you’re in the right place. This comprehensive guide covers the full TV and streaming schedule, channels, and viewing tips for the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club — including U.S. and UK options — for golf fans in the U.S. and internationally. The Open Championship (also known as the British Open) is one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, and knowing when and where to watch is essential for fans who don’t want to miss a single shot.

Below, you’ll find a summary of the main U.S. and UK TV channels and streaming options for The Open Championship, so you can quickly see where to tune in:

U.S. TV Channels:

- NBC

- USA Network

- Golf Channel

U.S. Streaming Options:

- Peacock

- Hulu + Live TV

- YouTube TV

- Fubo

- DirecTV Stream

UK TV Channels:

- Sky Sports (Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports Main Event)

- BBC

Official Digital Platforms:

- TheOpen.com

- The Open app

All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time (ET).

The 154th Open Championship occurs from July 16–19, 2026, and takes place at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The wider event week runs from 12–19 July, covering everything from practice rounds and a Last-Chance Qualifier to the Championship itself. The Open Championship will be held at Royal Birkdale, England, which has hosted golf's oldest major championship 11 times since 1954.

Sunday-Wednesday, July 12–15: Official practice days, the Heroes Classic and final qualifying competitions

Thursday, July 16: Round 1 begins

Friday, July 17: Round 2 and the 36-hole cut

Saturday, July 18: Round 3

Sunday, July 19: Final round and the Claret Jug trophy presentation

The Open is a 72-hole stroke-play major championship featuring a 156-player field. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the top 70 and ties. If any players are tied after 72 holes, a four-hole aggregate playoff determines the champion, followed by sudden death if still deadlocked.

All tee times on site are set in British Summer Time (BST). Every TV schedule time listed in this article has been converted to ET for North American viewers.

Now that you know the event dates and context, let’s dive into the daily TV schedule details so you can plan your viewing.

All times below are Eastern Daylight Time (ET). The Open Championship is typically covered in Eastern Daylight Time and coverage is split across NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel, and Peacock along with The Open's own digital platforms. Here is a same-day snapshot of what to expect during a typical Championship round:

Early featured groups and pre-dawn coverage stream on Peacock and NBCSN starting as early as 1:30 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday rounds or around 4:00–5:00 a.m. ET on the weekend.

Main live windows air on USA Network and NBC/Peacock from approximately 4:00 a.m. ET through mid-afternoon on weekday rounds and from 7:00 a.m. ET through early afternoon on Saturday and Sunday.

Highlights and analysis run on Golf Channel in the evening with its Live From The Open studio show and replays tied to the Open TV schedule.

(Note: The Open Championship TV schedule can shift if weather delays force extended play at Royal Birkdale, so always check your on-screen guide or streaming app for the latest times in your area.)

Streaming options include Peacock and Hulu + Live TV for cord-cutters who want full access without a cable subscription.

Exact local broadcast times can vary by provider. Confirm channel numbers and air times through your cable box guide or your preferred streaming app before each round.

With the daily schedule in mind, let’s break down the full broadcast windows for each round.

NBC Sports holds the U.S. broadcast rights for The Open Championship with coverage distributed across NBC, USA Network and Golf Channel. Peacock handles early-morning streams and simulcasts. The NBC Sports press release confirms the following windows for 2026 at Royal Birkdale, all in ET:

Thursday July 16 & Friday July 17 (Rounds 1 & 2)

- Peacock/NBCSN carry early coverage from approximately 1:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. ET.

- USA Network and NBC/Peacock pick up live action from 4:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. ET.

- Daily highlights air on Golf Channel during evening wrap-up programming.

Saturday July 18 (Round 3)

- Peacock/NBCSN open coverage from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. ET.

- USA Network and NBC/Peacock carry the main third-round broadcast from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.

- Golf Channel airs recap shows and analysis in the evening.

Sunday July 19 (Final Round)

- Peacock/NBCSN begin early final-round coverage from 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. ET.

- USA Network and NBC/Peacock take over from 7:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. ET, with NBC carrying the decisive stretch and the Claret Jug presentation.

- Golf Channel follows with its Live From The Open studio show featuring reaction segments, interviews, and extended highlights.

Next, let’s look at how you can access these broadcasts on various TV and streaming platforms.

Television coverage in the U.S. includes NBC Sports, USA Network, and Peacock. The Open Championship airs on NBC and USA Network as the primary channels, and understanding which network handles what will help you plan your week.

- NBC carries the marquee windows, especially weekend mid-morning through afternoon coverage.

- This is where you will watch the champion crowned and the trophy presented on Sunday.

- NBC is free-to-air in most markets.

- USA Network provides extended live windows across all four Championship days.

- On Thursday and Friday, it handles the bulk of daytime coverage before NBC steps in.

- On the weekend, it bridges the gap between early Peacock feeds and NBC's main broadcast.

- Golf Channel runs its Live From The Open studio show and replays tied to the Open Championship.

- Feature coverage includes analysis and highlights, making it useful for catching up on news and key moments you might have missed during the live windows.

For fans in the UK and Ireland, live coverage for UK viewers is available on Sky Sports and the BBC, with Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event carrying long blocks from the first tee shot to the final putt.

Confirm channel numbers and HD availability with your specific cable or satellite provider since lineups vary by region. All broadcast times are subject to change due to weather delays or playoff scenarios at Royal Birkdale—the coastal conditions can shift quickly and force the R&A to adjust schedules.

Now that you know the TV channels, let’s explore the best streaming options for cord-cutters and digital viewers.

Cord-cutters have more ways than ever to follow the Open TV schedule through a mix of direct streaming platforms and live TV services that carry NBC, USA Network, and Golf Channel.

- Peacock is the hub for streaming this year's Open.

- Exclusive coverage options are available on Peacock during the championship, including early-morning simulcasts of NBC and USA Network windows.

- Streaming services like Peacock provide early-round coverage and featured groups, plus on-demand replays and highlight clips.

- Peacock streams most of the tournament's biggest moments, making it essential for fans who want wall-to-wall access on any device.

- Hulu + Live TV includes NBC and USA Network in its channel lineup for most markets, letting you stream the same live windows available on cable.

- It is one of the most straightforward ways to watch without a traditional subscription.

- YouTube TV, Fubo and DirecTV Stream also typically carry NBC and USA Network, often with Golf Channel available in sports or upgraded packages.

- Check each service's channel list for your zip code before signing up.

- TheOpen.com and The Open app offer live leaderboards, ShotView shot-by-shot data, and featured group streams free of charge.

- R&A TV content such as "Live at the Range with HSBC" is available through the site and YouTube.

Geographic restrictions and blackout rules may apply to certain feeds. International viewers should check local rights holders or consider VPN options to access U.S. streams.

With your streaming options sorted, let’s take a closer look at Royal Birkdale and why its layout matters for TV coverage.

Understanding Royal Birkdale Golf Club's layout helps you make sense of how the TV schedule lines up with key moments. The course's most dramatic holes typically fall in the closing stretch, which aligns with the final hour or two of each broadcast window—exactly when NBC tends to take over from USA Network.

- Royal Birkdale is a classic links course winding through towering sand dunes.

- It was established in 1889 and redesigned in 1922.

- 2026 marks the 11th time it has hosted The Open Championship.

- Ahead of the 2026 championship, the R&A commissioned architect Tom Mackenzie of the firm of Mackenzie & Ebert to make significant updates: a rebuilt short par-4 5th hole, a new long par-3 15th, reworked bunkers and new tee areas.

- These changes will shape how broadcasters frame signature holes in featured group feeds and highlight segments.

Royal Birkdale Golf Club

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- The coastal setting means wind and rain can arrive without warning, potentially delaying tee times and forcing live tv scheduling adjustments.

- The Open has been played in some brutal conditions at Royal Birkdale over the years, although with the area experiencing drought conditions recently, the forecast throughout the championship as of this writing is for partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the middle to high 70s and winds of 10-15 miles per hour.

- Southport's early sunrise and long July daylight allow extensive live coverage from the first tee shot to the last putt in each round. Sunrise for Thursday's first round is 5:03 am and sunset is 9:33 pm.

- This gives U.S. broadcasters the window they need to fill morning-through-afternoon programming.

For comparison, the Open was previously held at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, another exposed coastal venue where weather regularly disrupted scheduling. Royal Birkdale presents similar challenges.

Next, let’s see how you can follow The Open if you’re away from your TV or want alternative coverage.

Fans who cannot sit in front of a TV can still track every shot through The Open Radio, R&A TV, and other digital tools that complement the main tv schedule. These options are especially valuable during work hours or while commuting.

- Tuesday July 14: Preview show from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm local (BST)

- Wednesday July 15: Preview blocks from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm local

- Thursday & Friday July 16 & 17: Live commentary from 7:00 am local to the end of play

- Saturday & Sunday July 18 & 19: Live commentary from 9:00 am local to the end of play, with Sunday coverage including the trophy presentation

"Live at the Range with HSBC" returns on R&A TV and YouTube, running Monday through Friday of tournament week. It offers range coverage, player interviews, and analysis that bridges gaps between televised sessions and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at preparations.

These audio and digital feeds are ideal for following action when TV viewing is not possible. Pair them with The Open app's live leaderboards for a complete picture of what is happening on course.

Fans on site at Royal Birkdale can use The Open app's wayfinding, grandstand occupancy tracker, and "Your Visit" tools to navigate between on-course action and hospitality areas without losing track of scoring.

Now, let’s examine how tee times shape the broadcast day and what that means for your viewing schedule.

Tee times at The Open Championship are set on local time (BST) with the first groups usually going off early in the morning and the last groups finishing in the early evening. This structure drives how U.S. TV windows are built and why coverage starts before dawn on the East Coast.

On Thursday and Friday with a full 156-player field, groups typically go off both the 1st and 10th tees in a morning wave and an afternoon wave, compressing the schedule to fit all competitors in a single day.

After the 36-hole cut on Friday, the weekend rounds regroup the remaining field into twosomes going off the 1st tee only, which creates a more predictable schedule for NBC and USA Network to plan around.

Marquee pairings—think defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, or Cameron Young—are usually placed into featured TV windows so that Peacock and NBC can spotlight them when U.S. audiences are most likely to watch. Players like Chris Gotterup, Stewart Cink, and Justin Thomas add depth to featured group coverage throughout the week.

Check the official Open tee sheet on the Open Championship site the evening before each round, then match those times to your local ET tv schedule to know exactly when your favorite players will appear on screen.

Heavy wind or rain at Royal Birkdale could lead to delays or adjusted tee times, which in turn may cause live coverage to extend or shift across NBC and USA Network. Keep an eye on news updates from @TheOpen on social media for real-time changes.

With tee times and broadcast structure in mind, here’s how to plan your British Open viewing week for maximum coverage.

With so many channels, platforms, and digital tools available, the best approach is to combine tv coverage, streaming, and app-based data to follow every stage of the Championship from practice days through the final round. A little advance planning ensures you will not miss the moments that matter most.

Step-by-Step Viewing Recommendations:

Early morning:

- Set an alarm for Peacock's pre-dawn featured group feeds and "Live at the Range with HSBC" on R&A TV.

- This is where you catch range sessions and early-wave action before the main broadcast kicks in.

Mid-day:

- Switch to NBC and USA Network for the primary live broadcast.

- Saturday and Sunday coverage picks up at 7:00 a.m. ET, which lines up well with a weekend morning routine.

Evening:

- Tune to Golf Channel for highlight packages, studio analysis, and post-round interviews.

- This is also a good time to catch up on everything you need to know about the 2026 Open if you missed any daytime action.

All day:

- Download The Open app for real-time leaderboards and ShotView data.

- Use it as a second screen while watching on TV to follow every shot from every group, not just the ones the broadcast cameras are covering.

Set alerts:

- Most streaming services let you set notifications for specific competitions and events.

- Use this feature for your preferred players' tee times and key tv windows so nothing slips past you.

Bookmark an up-to-date Open tv schedule page so you can verify exact times as the Championship approaches. Weather at Royal Birkdale can force last-minute changes and the only way to stay ahead of them is to check your schedule source regularly.

The Claret Jug chase begins before dawn in the U.S., and the coverage options this year are more comprehensive than ever. Plan your week, pick your platforms, and get ready to watch one of golf's greatest competitions unfold on one of its most storied courses.

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