The 2026 Fiesta Bowl brings one of the most exciting College Football Playoff semifinals this season. The #6 Ole Miss Rebels face the #10 Miami Hurricanes on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Both teams shocked the college football world with upset wins in the quarterfinals. Now one more victory puts them in the national championship game.
This guide shows you how to watch the Fiesta Bowl 2026 live without cable. You can stream the game for free using several methods. We cover every option from streaming services to international viewing.
55th Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Quick Game Details
| Team | #6 Ole Miss Rebels vs #10 Miami Hurricanes |
| Date | Thursday, January 8, 2026 |
| Kickoff Time | 7:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM MST |
| Stadium | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona |
| TV Channel | ESPN |
| Live Stream HD | Watch Here |
What Time Does Fiesta Bowl 2026 Start?
The Fiesta Bowl 2026 kicks off at 7:30 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
US Time Zones:
- Eastern Time (ET): 7:30 PM
- Central Time (CT): 6:30 PM
- Mountain Time (MST): 5:30 PM
- Pacific Time (PT): 4:30 PM
- Alaska Time (AKST): 3:30 PM
- Hawaii Time (HST): 2:30 PM
International fans can also watch the game. The UK broadcast starts at 12:30 AM on Friday, January 9. Australian viewers watch at 11:30 AM AEDT on Friday morning.
ESPN begins pre-game coverage at 6:00 PM ET. The network provides team analysis and expert predictions before kickoff. This gives fans extra content leading up to the big game.
Who is Playing in the Fiesta Bowl 2026?
Ole Miss enters with incredible momentum after upsetting Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl. The Rebels played as 6-point underdogs and dominated the second half. The team plays under interim coach Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin left for LSU. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had a breakout performance with over 300 yards passing. Ole Miss went 12-2 this season and beat Tulane 41-10 in the first playoff round.
Miami shocked defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl. The Hurricanes controlled the game from start to finish. Quarterback Carson Beck transferred from Georgia and now faces his former SEC opponent. Safety Keionte Scott returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown against Ohio State. Miami’s defense ranks 11th nationally. They also went 12-2 and defeated Texas A&M 10-3 in round one.
The betting spread is Miami -3 with an over/under of 52.5 points. Both teams enter as underdogs in the championship odds despite their quarterfinal success.
What Channel is the Fiesta Bowl On?
ESPN broadcasts the Fiesta Bowl 2026 with exclusive coverage. The network has aired all College Football Playoff games since 2014. You can watch on regular ESPN through cable or satellite providers. The network offers streaming through WatchESPN and the ESPN mobile app. Spanish-speaking viewers can watch on ESPN Deportes.
How to Watch The 2026 Fiesta Bowl Live Online
On Cable
Cable and satellite subscribers can watch on ESPN directly through their TV. Most providers carry ESPN in their basic sports packages. Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, Optimum and Verizon Fios all include ESPN. Satellite viewers watch through DirecTV or Dish Network. You can also stream using your cable login through WatchESPN or the ESPN app.
Without a Cable
You don’t need traditional cable to watch the Fiesta Bowl. Several streaming services carry ESPN with different pricing and features.
| Service | Free Trial | Monthly Cost | Channels | DVR | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fubo | 7 days | $84.99 | 219+ | Unlimited | Longest free trial |
| DirecTV Stream | 5 days | $89.99 | 90+ | Unlimited | Best value bundle |
| Sling TV | None | $45.99 or $4.99/day | 30+ | 50 hours | Cheapest option |
| YouTube TV | 5 days | $72.99 | 100+ | Unlimited | Premium experience |
| ESPN Direct | None | $29.99 | ESPN networks | N/A | ESPN fans only |
ESPN Direct gives you access by subscribing directly to ESPN. The service costs $29.99 per month or $299.99 annually. You get ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPN+ content. A special bundle ends January 5, 2026. Get Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited together for $29.99 monthly for 12 months. Regular price is $35.99 after the first year.
Fubo offers the longest free trial at 7 days. The service costs $84.99 monthly but drops to $48.99 for your first month. You get 219+ channels with unlimited cloud DVR. Sign up at Fubo.tv and watch the game on January 8. Cancel before January 15 to avoid charges. Fubo works on all devices and specializes in sports content.
DirecTV Stream provides a 5-day free trial. The service costs $89.99 monthly after trial. You get 90+ channels with unlimited DVR storage. The package includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost. The service allows 10 streams at home and 3 on mobile devices.
Sling TV has no free trial but offers the cheapest option. Day passes cost $4.99 for one day or $14.99 for a week. The monthly Sling Orange plan runs $45.99 with 30+ channels. Buy a day pass on January 8 for instant access. Watch the game without any subscription to manage.
YouTube TV offers a 5-day free trial. The service costs $72.99 monthly and includes 100+ channels. You get unlimited DVR that keeps recordings for 9 months. The service allows 3 simultaneous streams. YouTube TV has a clean interface and works on all devices.
Can I Watch Fiesta Bowl Live Stream Free?
Yes. You can watch the Fiesta Bowl completely free using trial periods. Fubo gives you 7 days free while DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV each offer 5 days. Hulu + Live TV provides a 3-day trial.
Sign up 2-3 days before January 8 to ensure your trial covers the game. Enter payment details but you won’t get charged during the trial. Watch the game and set a phone reminder to cancel before the trial ends.
The cheapest paid option is Sling TV at $4.99 for a day pass. Buy it on game day for one-time access. Test your stream before game day and download apps in advance. Most services need 5-10 Mbps for HD streaming.
International Streaming Options
Canada
TSN broadcasts all College Football Playoff games in Canada. The service costs $8 CAD per month or $80 CAD yearly. Subscribe at TSN.ca or through the TSN mobile app. TSN covers all CFP games and works on all devices. RDS offers French-language coverage.
United Kingdom
DAZN UK streams the Fiesta Bowl completely free. Visit DAZN.com and create a free account without payment information. This gives UK viewers free access to both semifinals and the championship. DAZN normally charges for content but college football streams free right now.
Australia
Kayo Sports costs $30 AUD monthly with a 7-day free trial. New subscribers get the first month for just $1 AUD. The game airs at 11:30 AM AEDT on Friday, January 9. Kayo carries ESPN content through Foxtel. Disney+ also works at $15.99 AUD monthly.
How to Stream Fiesta Bowl 2026 from Anywhere?
Many streaming services only work in specific countries. A VPN solves this by letting you watch from anywhere. Subscribe to a VPN service and download their app. Connect to a server in your home country and open your streaming service.
NordVPN offers fast speeds and reliable connections. Surfshark provides an affordable option. ExpressVPN delivers premium quality. Most VPN services cost $3-12 monthly with 30-day money-back guarantees.
Fiesta Bowl Stadium & Location
State Farm Stadium sits at 1 Cardinals Drive in Glendale, Arizona. The venue opened in 2006 and seats 63,400 fans. The capacity expands to 73,000 for major events. The stadium features a retractable roof that opens in 12 minutes. The natural grass field rolls outside on wheels to get sunlight.
The stadium sits 10 miles west of downtown Phoenix near Westgate Entertainment District. Fans can walk to restaurants and shops. Parking costs $40-60 per vehicle in multiple lots.
When and How to Watch Fiesta Bowl Parade Live
The Fiesta Bowl Parade happens on Friday, January 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM Mountain Time in Central Phoenix. WWE Superstar Nikki Bella serves as Grand Marshal.
Arizona’s Family (3TV) broadcasts locally. National viewers stream free on the Arizona’s Family website and mobile app. YouTube posts highlights after the event. The parade features giant balloons, elaborate floats and high school marching bands competing for honors. Over 3,000 participants celebrate along Central Avenue.
How to Get Fiesta Bowl 2026 Tickets
You can grab tickets right now at FiestaSportsFoundation.org or Ticketmaster. SeatGeek and Vivid Seats have resale options if the official sites run out.
Upper level seats start around $150. Lower level tickets go for $250-400. Club seats cost $400-600 while premium spots top $600. Prices shift based on where you sit.
Buy early to get better seats at better prices. Stick with authorized sellers only. Street scalpers sell fake tickets. Always check how you’ll get your tickets before buying.
Parking passes run $40-60 and you buy them separately. Book early for games this big. Some fans park at Westgate Entertainment District and walk over to save cash.
Fiesta Bowl History
Arizona State beat Florida State 45-38 in the first Fiesta Bowl back in 1971. The game has become one of college football’s biggest bowls over the years.
Penn State took down Miami 14-10 in 1987 for the national title. Penn State picked off Miami’s Heisman-winning quarterback with just 9 seconds left. More people watched that game than any college football game before it.
The 2007 Fiesta Bowl still stands as the greatest bowl game ever played. Boise State beat Oklahoma 43-42 in overtime. The Broncos were down 35-28 with barely a minute left. They pulled off a hook-and-lateral to tie it and then won with the Statue of Liberty play. The Boise State quarterback even proposed to his girlfriend right there on the field.
Ohio State won the 2003 national championship by beating Miami 31-24 in double overtime. The Buckeyes ended Miami’s incredible 34-game winning streak that night.
Penn State owns the best Fiesta Bowl record ever at 8-0. They crushed Boise State 31-14 in their last appearance in 2024.
The Fiesta Bowl became part of the College Football Playoff in 2014. The bowl gets a CFP semifinal game every three years.
FAQs about the 2026 Fiesta Bowl
Penn State defeated Boise State 31-14 in the 2025 Fiesta Bowl played on December 31, 2024. The Nittany Lions dominated throughout the game as part of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
No. The 2026 Fiesta Bowl marks Ole Miss’s first appearance in this bowl game. This is a historic moment for the Rebels program.
No. Miami has never won a Fiesta Bowl. The Hurricanes have appeared in the game twice before but lost both times in 1992 and 2004.
College Football Playoff semifinal games pay approximately $6 million per team to their conference. The winner also advances to the national championship game which has an additional payout.
Sean McDonough calls the play-by-play with Greg McElroy doing analysis. Molly McGrath works the sidelines. ESPN may add a second sideline reporter for this CFP semifinal game. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit handle the National Championship but could show up for another playoff game too.
College Football Playoff games typically feature marching band performances during halftime. The schools participating usually bring their marching bands. Details about specific halftime entertainment will be announced closer to game day.
College football overtime rules apply. Each team gets a possession starting at the 25-yard line. The game continues until one team outscores the other in an overtime period. There is no time limit for overtime.
The 2026 Fiesta Bowl brings an exciting semifinal between two underdog teams. Ole Miss and Miami both pulled stunning upsets. Watch free using the streaming options above and catch every moment of this historic showdown.