How to Watch Farm Aid 2026 Live Online: Streaming Options and Concert Schedule

Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews are reuniting for this year’s Farm Aid concert.

Farm Aid returns on Saturday, September 26, for its annual marathon of live music benefiting family farmers at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Willie Nelson and Family, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds headline the event, joined by Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, and additional artists.

Watch Farm Aid 2026 Online: A Quick Guide

CNN returns as the festival’s exclusive broadcast partner, offering four hours of live coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET. John Berman and Laura Coates will co-anchor from Virginia Beach, with CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir reporting from the festival grounds.

Cord-cutters can rejoice: you won’t need a traditional cable package to watch. CNN is available through several live TV streaming services, including options with free trials.

Free and Paid Options to Stream Farm Aid 2026

Farm Aid 2026 will air live on CNN on Saturday, September 26, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. CNN subscribers and pay TV subscribers can also stream the concert via CNN.com/Watch, the CNN app, and CNN connected TV apps.

If CNN isn’t part of your current setup, live TV streaming services such as DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV all carry the network. Here’s what to know about each option.

DirecTV

➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Packages with CNN starting at $39.99/month

DirecTV includes CNN in packages starting at $39.99 per month, alongside MSNBC, Fox News, and local channels. New subscribers can take advantage of a five-day free trial, which covers the Farm Aid broadcast.

Hulu + Live TV

➤ Three-day free trial
➤ Packages with CNN starting at $89.99/month

Hulu + Live TV is a solid all-in-one option for streaming Farm Aid and more without cable. The $89.99 monthly bundle includes CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and local networks, plus Hulu’s on-demand library, ESPN, and Disney+, with a three-day free trial for new subscribers.

YouTube TV

➤ Free trial
➤ $64.99/month
➤ Up to 100+ channels

YouTube TV is another option for watching Farm Aid on CNN without cable. Plans start with a free trial, typically five days but sometimes longer, followed by a discounted first month at $44.99 before the lower-tier package settles at $64.99 a month.

Sling TV

➤ Packages with CNN starting at $45.99/month
➤ One-day, three-day, and seven-day passes starting at $4.99
➤ No free trial

Sling TV offers CNN through its Orange, Blue, and Orange + Blue packages, with monthly plans starting at $45.99. If you’re only tuning in for Farm Aid, short-term passes cost $4.99 for one day, $9.99 for three days, or $14.99 for seven days. The service also carries MSNBC, Fox News, and local networks.

CNN previously broadcast Farm Aid’s 40th anniversary in 2025, reaching 3.88 million viewers globally. The network says viewers contributed more than $615,000 to Farm Aid during the broadcast.

Farm Aid 2026 Lineup and Performance Schedule

Farm Aid is bringing a stacked lineup to Virginia Beach this year, led by longtime board members Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, and Nathaniel Rateliff. The full Farm Aid 2026 lineup also includes Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Ty Myers, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, Mon Rovîa, I’m With Her, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola, Chris Pierce, and the Wisdom Indian Dancers.

Performances kick off at 12:25 p.m. ET, with Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds taking the stage at 7:44 p.m., followed by John Mellencamp at 8:36 p.m., Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts at 9:28 p.m., and Willie Nelson & Family closing out the night at 10:20 p.m.

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