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5/11/2026

‘American Idol’: Here’s Where to Watch the Season 24 Finale Live Online

Judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie crown the next American Idol winner on Monday night (May 11) — watch the three-hour finale for free.

By Rudie Obias

Trending on Billboard

Season 24 of American Idol premiered in early 2026 with hundreds of auditions, but now, there are just three singers are left: Hannah Harper, Jordan McCullough and Keyla Richardson.

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The season finale not only feature performances from the top three singers, but will also showcase a wide range of special guests, including Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Nelly, Tori Kelly, Jason Mraz, En Vogue, Clay Aiken and others. Additionally, the three American Idol judges, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie, are set to perform together during the season finale.

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How to Watch American Idol Season 24 Finale, At a Glance:

Date: Monday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Network: ABC
Online Streaming: DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV

When Is the American Idol Season 24 Finale?

The American Idol season finale airs live coast-to-coast on Monday (May 11), with a start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. It’s a three-hour TV event, so the winner won’t be announced until around 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

How to Watch the American Idol Season 24 Finale Online for Free

For the season finale of American Idol, the reality competition TV series broadcasts on ABC, as well as livestreams on DirecTV.

If you have access to live channels, through cable, streaming or satellite, check your local listings for channel information. Fans who don’t have cable can stream ABC and other live channel on streaming platforms, such as Fubo, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV and others.

DirecTV

Get Five-Day Free Trial

You can livestream American Idol with DirecTV, which includes ABC. The streaming service offers “Choice” in their signature streaming package with more than 125 live channels. For a limited time, new subscribers can join DirecTV for just $84.99 per month for the first 24 months of service (reg. $94.99 per month). Sign up for a five-day free trial to start watching now.

Sling TV

Get Sling Blue

Sling Blue for ABC.

A subscription to Sling Blue, which comes with ABC for American Idol, gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels. You can watch local networks such as NBC and FOX (in select markets), while you can watch many cable networks too. Please note: Prices and channel availability depends on your local TV market. You can learn more about Sling TV here.

FuboTV

Get Five-Day Free Trial

Fubo is affordable option offering a five-day free trial for new users who sign up.

For $48.99 per month for the first month of service, Fubo’s “Pro” plan is a cable alternative streaming service that offers the American Idol season finale broadcast on ABC. It features more than 200 other channels, including NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, MTV, VH1, CMT and others. Fubo comes with a five-day free trial, so you can try out the service before you commit month-to-month.

Hulu

Hulu + Live TV

Get three-day free trial

Hulu + Live TV comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no additional cost.

If you don’t have a Hulu + Live TV subscription, the streamer offers a free trial that’ll get you your first three days free to access ABC for American Idol. Once the free trial is over, you’ll be charged the regular subscription fee starting at $89.99 per month.

Meanwhile, the American Idol season finale drops the next-day on Hulu and Disney+ starting on Tuesday, May 12.

GET: DIRECTV 5-DAY FREE TRIAL

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‘American Idol’: Here’s Where to Watch the Season 24 Finale Live Online

Rudie Obias

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