The Australian Open is back for 2026.
With the men’s and women’s singles draws set Melbourne Park will once again be the centre of the tennis world for 15 action-packed days.
Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner return to defend their titles from 2025 with plenty of big-name rivals looking to stop them led by Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the mens and Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
As always, a strong contingent of Australians will be on show across the men’s and women’s draws, with the local charge set to be headlined by 2025 quarter finalist Alex de Minaur in the men’s draw.
From Sunday 18 January, every match from Melbourne Park will be available live on Channel 9, 9Gem, 9Now and Stan Sport with the broadcaster promising more than 500 hours of live coverage across its free-to-air and streaming services.
AllSportsPeople provides all the broadcast details you need to watch the 2026 Australian Open unfold on free-to-air TV and live streaming across Australia.
Watch every match of the Australian Open ad-free with centre court in 4K on Stan Sport
How to watch the Australian Open: TV channel, free-to-air guide in Australia
The Nine Network is the free-to-air home of the Australian Open in 2026.
All key matches will be broadcast free on TV across the Channel 9 and 9Gem channels.
Broadcast schedules will be determined on a daily basis but matches involving Australians and other notable players will typically receive free-to-air priority.
Channel 9 will serve as the main broadcast channel with 9Gem also providing day-long coverage.
What time does coverage start at the Australian Open?
In the opening week at Melbourne Park, Nine’s coverage will begin at 10:00 am (AEDT) with the on-court action scheduled to begin daily at 11:00 am (AEDT).
Play in the feature night sessions begins at 7:00 pm (AEDT).
Check your local TV guide for the each day’s schedule.
Australian Open live stream: How to watch online in Australia
Aussie fans can stream this year’s Australian Open on subscription service Stan Sport.
In 2026 every match will be streamed live and on demand in 4K, making it the perfect choice for dedicated tennis fans who want uninterrupted coverage.
Stan Sport will also feature tournament shoulder programming including the magazine-style show Grand Slam Daily streaming every morning.
9Now will also provide free online streaming of Nine’s free-to-air broadcasts on Channel 9 and 9Gem plus coverage of many non-broadcast matches.
Australian Open live stream: How to watch other categories in 2026
In addition to the main draws at Melbourne Park in 2026, 9Now will stream every match of the Juniors Girls and Boys Championships, Wheelchair Championships, Junior Wheelchair Championships, Asia Pacific Elite 14 and Under, AO25 Deaf Championships and AO25 Intellectual Disability Championships.
When does the Australian Open start and finish?
Play in this year’s main draw at Melbourne Park begins on Sunday, January 18.
The final match will be the men’s singles final on Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, February 1.