- ESPN has announced that comedian and Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez will host the 2026 ceremony, taking over from Shane Gillis, who led last year’s event in Los Angeles.
- The ESPYs will return to New York City, where the event first began more than three decades ago.
- This year’s ESPYs is set to take place on July 15 at the David H Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center and is expected to bring together many of the biggest names in sports and entertainmen
One of the biggest nights in sports is getting ready to return and this year's ESPY Awards will come with a fresh face on stage. ESPN has announced that comedian and Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernandez will host the 2026 ceremony, taking over from Shane Gillis, who led last year's event in Los Angeles.
The ESPYs will return to New York City, where the event first began more than three decades ago. This year's ceremony is set to take place on July 15 at the David H Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center and is expected to bring together many of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.
In a statement, Marcello Hernandez said, “I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time. It is an honour, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYS this year in New York. I'm sure the energy is going to be great.”
Craig Lazarus, ESPN Vice President and The ESPYS Executive Producer adds, “Marcello is one of the most electric, young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year's ESPYS. We are excited to partner with him to celebrate the best moments in sports and look forward to the fresh take he'll bring to the show.”
The comedian even played college soccer at John Carroll University, which makes him a fitting choice for the awards show.
Before Hernandez, ESPYS was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, John Cena, LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, Shane Gillis, Stephen Curry, Sue Bird, Tracy Morgan and more.
The 2026 ESPY Awards will be broadcast live on ABC. Fans can also watch the ceremony through the ESPN app. For those who miss the live show, it will be available for streaming on Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN App and ABC Video on Demand starting July 16.
