New & Notable for 2026
Return
Birkdale’s 11th Open
Royal Birkdale hosts The Open for the 11th time since 1954—a total exceeded only by St. Andrews in that time. The Southport links last staged the championship in 2017, when Jordan Spieth raised the claret jug.
Defending Champion
Scheffler Chases Back-to-Back Jugs
Scottie Scheffler returns as Champion Golfer of the Year after his win at Royal Portrush. A 156-player field of exempt players, Open Qualifying Series winners and the Last-Chance Qualifier survivors how to claim the label in 2026..
Complete TV & Streaming Schedule
All Week
Practice round coverage, Last-Chance Qualifier (July 13) & Open Preview Show
Peacock
Daily
Live scoring, news & player updates
theopen.com
1:30 AM – 4 AM ET
Early morning coverage as the first groups tee off in Southport
Peacock
4 AM – 3 PM ET
Round 1 main coverage (simulcast on Peacock)
USA Net.
All Day
Featured Groups — dedicated feeds following marquee pairings
Peacock / App
1:30 AM – 4 AM ET
Early morning coverage — second wave tee times
Peacock
4 AM – 3 PM ET
Round 2 main coverage — cut line drama (simulcast on Peacock)
USA Net.
All Day
Featured Groups across every hole
Peacock / App
5 AM – 7 AM ET
Early third-round coverage
USA Net.
7 AM – 3 PM ET
Round 3 main broadcast (simulcast on Peacock)
NBC
All Day
Featured Groups & Multiview
Peacock / App
4 – 7 AM ET
Early final-round coverage of the day’s opening groups
USA Net.
7 AM – 2 PM
Final-round main broadcast — claret jug prersentation (simulcast on Peacock)
NBC
All Day
Featured Groups & Multiview through the final putt
Peacock / App
All ET times reflect the network windows NBC Sports has used for recent Opens played in the UK. Exact tee times — and precise broadcast start/end times — are confirmed by NBC Sports and the R&A closer to Championship week.
The Streaming Ecosystem
Weekend main broadcast home, picking up Saturday and Sunday coverage each morning through the claret jug presentation.
USA
USA Network
Cable Network
Carries the early-morning windows all four days, including the entirety of Thursday and Friday main coverage.
PCK
Peacock
Streaming — NBC
Simulcasts every NBC and USA Network window and adds exclusive Featured Groups and Multiview streams from the first tee shot.
Full week of coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, with dedicated build-up programming.
Canadian broadcast partner carrying live coverage across the championship.
APP
TheOpen.com & R&A App
Official Digital
Live scoring, tee times, hole-by-hole course guides and on-demand highlights—free anywhere in the world.
Specialty Feeds & Viewing Tips
Multi-Camera
Featured Groups
Follow marquee pairings in dedicated feeds on Peacock, theopen.com and the R&A app throughout every round.
Time Zone Tip
Watching From the US
Southport sits five hours ahead of the East Coast. Thursday and Friday earliest tee times (around 6:30 AM local) land near 1:30 AM ET.
UK Viewing (BST)
Sky Sports Windows
Thu & Fri: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 6:30 AM. Sat: Golf from 9 AM, Main Event from 11 AM. Sun: Golf from 8 AM, Main Event from 10 AM.
Radio
The Open Radio
Live audio coverage streams free from theopen.com, beginning with the Preview Show on Tuesday, 14 July and running through Sunday’s finish.
Royal Birkdale Fast Facts
11th
Open Hosted
1889
Club Founded
156
Player Field
1954
First Open Here
2017
Spieth’s Win
−17
Scheffler ’25 Score
Royal Birkdale previously hosted The Open in 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008 and 2017. Prize fund and final field details will be confirmed by the R&A closer to Championship week.