The 2026 Critics Choice Awards have found their date and now will be leading off awards season’s nationally television shows. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today that the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Returning to E! for the second year in a row, the telecast will also air live across USA Network […]The 2026 Critics Choice Awards have found their date and now will be leading off awards season’s nationally television shows. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today that the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Returning to E! for the second year in a row, the telecast will also air live across USA Network
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards have found their date and now will be leading off awards season’s nationally television shows.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today that the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Returning to E! for the second year in a row, the telecast will also air live across USA Network from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The show will once again be held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and will continue its combined film and television awards format, honoring the best in cinematic, televised, and streaming achievement.
Earlier this week the Golden Globes announced they would be moving to the second Sunday in January on the 11th, a bit of a surprise since they have traditionally gone first on the first weekend of the new year. Sources say Critics Choice had been planning for their ceremony to take place January 11, but now will be in the position of kicking off the nationally televised awards part of the season on this earlier date.
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“The Critics Choice Association is excited to kick off awards season as the first major televised show of 2026,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin. “In our expanded partnership with E! and USA Network, we’re joined again in our shared mission to uplift the creative community and their incredible work – while also deepening our relationship with live events audiences and awards devotees alike. Together, we are proud to continue making the Critics Choice Awards a can’t-miss awards season destination, delivering unforgettable speeches and momentum-building moments championing our industry’s best. CCA is excited to build upon our three-decades of experience driving the awards conversation and, this year, take the lead with our show on January 4.”
“We’re honored to collaborate with the Critics Choice Association and bring this prestigious event to our audiences across E! and USA Network,” said Val Boreland, President, Entertainment, “SpinCo.” “As this distinguished ceremony continues to be one of the most anticipated nights of awards season, we can’t wait to kick off awards season with CCA in celebrating Hollywood’s biggest moments of the year.”
This year’s show which took place later than usual due to postponements because of the LA fires saw the Critics Choice become the first major group to name Anora their Best Picture, closely followed by the PGA and DGA awards to the same film all happening the weekend before Oscar voting commenced. For the new date the CCA’s will take place a full week before Oscar nomination voting begins on January 12. The CCAs have often correlated with wins that later also went on to take key Oscars.
TV nominations for the annual event will be announced on Thursday, December 4, and film nominations will be announced on Friday, December 5.
The Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, they are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.
The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards show will be executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The Critics Choice Awards are represented by Dan Black at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.