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It’s time, yet again, for one of America’s weirdest traditions: Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. The men’s competition — with defending champ Joey Chestnut — kicks off on July 4, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET, on ESPN2, meaning it can be livestreamed on any streaming service that carries said network, namely DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Fubo (with a one-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.
The women’s contest — with defending champ Miki Sudo — will reply on ESPN2 during the men’s competition. Otherwise, viewers can tune in at 7:45 a.m. PT/10:45 a.m. ET via the ESPN App. Those with an ESPN Unlimited subscription can access Chestnut’s isolation camera starting at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET. The men’s contest will also simulcast on ABC starting at 12:30 p.m. ET as part of the Disney Celebrates America special. Like ESPN2, ABC is available via DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Fubo (with a one-day free trial), Sling (in select markets) and Hulu + Live TV.
At a Glance: How to Watch Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest 2026
Where to Watch Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2026 Online
The July 4 competition will air at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, which can be streamed live on any TV streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Fubo (with a one-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.
See below for more on each online streaming service, along with their free trials and new subscriber discounts.
DirecTV
Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month
ESPN2 is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier. Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can tune into the competition at no cost.
Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $19.99 per month), at directv.com.
Fubo
One-day free trial; packages from $64.99 per month ($54.99 for first month)
A subscription to Fubo — which offers a one-day free trial for new subscribers — similarly offers access to ESPN, included in the Fubo Sports + News package. After the free trial period, this package is $54.99 for the first month and $64.99 monthly afterward.
Sling
Plans from $4.99
ESPN2 is included in Sling’s Orange Plan, starting at $45.99 per month or $4.99 for a 1-Day Pass.
For serious sports fans, the Orange + Sports Extra is a solid option as it includes both ESPN and ESPN2 along with ESPNU, ESPNews, ABC local and more. This bundle rings up at $56.99: $45.99 for Orange, plus $11 for Sports Extra.
Related: The Best Streaming Deals on Sling TV
Hulu + Live TV
Three-day free trial; packages from $89.99 per month
Watch ESPN2 with a subscription to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+. Following the three-day trial period, plans start at $89.99 per month.
Joey Chestnut Hot Dog Record
At Nathan’s 2021 Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut hit a record 76 hot dogs and buns. Outside of the July 4 competition, his all-time record (while technically unofficial) came during the 2024 Netflix special Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, where he consumed 83 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
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