The Open returns to Royal Birkdale with wall-to-wall TV coverage
The 154th Open Championship runs Thursday to Sunday in England, with Peacock, USA Network, NBC and Fubo carrying the action.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
The alarm clocks are going to take a beating. The 154th Open Championship begins Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, with first-round play starting at 1:30 a.m. Eastern, according to CBS Sports.
The final men’s major of the 2026 golf season brings the Open back to Royal Birkdale for the first time in nine years. CBS Sports reports that the Claret Jug will be handed out at the course on Sunday for the 11th time.
Scottie Scheffler arrives as the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year and the world No. 1, according to CBS Sports. The outlet also reports that Rory McIlroy nearly overtook him as the betting favorite entering the week after his play at the Scottish Open.
There is a home-country subplot, too. CBS Sports notes that no English golfer has won the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992, with Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose among the English players trying to end that run. England’s national soccer team also has a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday and could be playing in the final during Open weekend, according to the report.
How to watch the 2026 Open Championship
All times listed are Eastern. CBS Sports lists Peacock as the streaming home for each round, with USA Network handling weekday TV coverage and early weekend windows. NBC takes over the main weekend broadcasts, with Fubo also listed for Saturday and Sunday coverage.
Round 1: Thursday, July 16
- Start time: 1:30 a.m.
- Live stream: 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Peacock
- TV coverage: 4 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on USA Network
Round 2: Friday, July 17
- Start time: 1:30 a.m.
- Live stream: 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Peacock
- TV coverage: 4 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on USA Network
Round 3: Saturday, July 18
- Start time: 5 a.m.
- Live stream: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Peacock
- Early TV coverage: 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on USA Network
- Main TV coverage: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on NBC and Fubo
Round 4: Sunday, July 19
- Start time: 4 a.m.
- Live stream: 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Peacock
- Early TV coverage: 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. on USA Network
- Main TV coverage: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NBC and Fubo
The weekday rounds will stretch deep into the afternoon for East Coast viewers, while the weekend finish moves through the morning and early afternoon. By Sunday, the oldest tournament in golf is scheduled to crown its Champion Golfer of the Year once again at Birkdale.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.