What Time is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?
What time is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4? Get the official 2026 men's and women's event start times and TV schedule.
Oliver Leonard - July 4, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT
3 Minute ReadWhat Time is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4?
The Fourth of July is steeped in traditional American pastimes, but few traditions match the spectacle of the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Returning flagship location at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, New York, the annual event gathers the world’s elite competitive eaters to battle for the legendary Mustard Belts.
If you are planning your holiday schedule around the festivities, keeping track of the precise timing is crucial. The event is split into two distinct divisions, with the women's competition leading the morning slate before the men's main event takes over the afternoon.
2026 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Schedule
The official timings for the holiday broadcast span from the late morning through the early afternoon:
- 10:45 AM ET: Pre-show festivities and the official introduction of the women's field begin.
- 11:00 AM ET: The Women’s Championship officially kicks off.
- 12:00 PM ET: The Men's Championship Pre-Show and competitor introductions commence.
- 12:30 PM ET: The Men’s Championship (Main Event) officially begins.
How to Watch: TV Channels and Streaming Options
ESPN holds the exclusive broadcast rights to the 10-minute sprint, marking over two consecutive decades televising the competition. This year, coverage is distributed across multiple platforms, making it highly accessible for both cable subscribers and cord-cutters.
- The Women's Contest: Live coverage begins at 10:45 a.m. ET exclusively streaming on ESPN+ and via the ESPN app.
- The Men's Contest: The main event will broadcast live nationally on linear television via ABC and ESPN2 starting at 12:30 p.m. ET.
- Live Streaming: Fans without traditional cable can stream the linear broadcast through digital live-TV services including fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream. Standalone streaming is also available through an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
If you miss the initial live noon buzzer due to a holiday barbecue, a full tape-delayed re-air of the entire competition will run later in the afternoon on ESPN2, with the complete event archived for on-demand streaming on the ESPN app shortly after completion.
Recent History: Last 10 Winners Tally
To get a sense of the sheer dominance on display at Coney Island, here is the complete list of champions from the last decade, along with the total number of hot dogs and buns (HDB) they consumed:
- 2025: Joey Chestnut (70.5) | Miki Sudo (33)
- 2024: Patrick Bertoletti (58) | Miki Sudo (51)
- 2023: Joey Chestnut (62) | Miki Sudo (39.5)
- 2022: Joey Chestnut (63) | Miki Sudo (40)
- 2021: Joey Chestnut (76) | Michelle Lesco (30.75)
- 2020: Joey Chestnut (75) | Miki Sudo (48.5)
- 2019: Joey Chestnut (71) | Miki Sudo (31)
- 2018: Joey Chestnut (74) | Miki Sudo (37)
- 2017: Joey Chestnut (72) | Miki Sudo (41)
- 2016: Joey Chestnut (70) | Miki Sudo (38.5)
Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest Odds
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