Las Vegas is getting its twang back. The Academy of Country Music Awards will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with the 61st ACM Awards ending a three-year stint in Frisco, Texas, and heading back to one of the show’s most familiar homes. Fans can circle the whole weekend on their calendars, since ACM Awards Week is expected to bring a slate of events to the city from May 15 to 17.
The Academy, Prime Video and Dick Clark Productions announced that the show will stream live exclusively on Prime Video and on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, with ACM Awards Week set to kick off on Friday, May 15. Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards and related events are scheduled to go on sale in early 2026, according to About Amazon.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May,” Academy CEO Damon Whiteside said, calling the move “a homecoming.” Jay Penske, CEO of Dick Clark Productions, said that partnering with MGM Resorts “strengthens our deep commitment to delivering world-class entertainment,” as noted by About Amazon.
A Familiar Stage For Country’s Big Night
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is no stranger to the ACMs. The show ran there for long stretches, including 2006 through 2014, then again in 2016 and 2018 through 2019, making it one of the ceremony’s most frequent stages. The 2026 move back to Las Vegas also restores the ACMs to a Sunday night slot for the first time since 2021, after three years at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, as per a report by Billboard.
Streaming Deal And What Fans Can Expect
Prime Video’s multi-year pact keeps the ACM Awards on the streamer through at least 2028, a deal the Academy and its partners renewed in 2025. That extension helped turn the ACMs into a test case for exclusive livestreaming of a major awards show and has influenced recent choices about where and when the event is staged, according to the Academy’s press material.
The 2026 host and performer lineup are still under wraps, with organizers saying those details will be unveiled in the months ahead, per reporting from iHeart.
For country fans in Las Vegas and those planning a trip, the ACMs’ return means another marquee awards week on the Strip and fresh spotlight on the MGM Grand stage. Official ACM and Prime Video channels are expected to share ticket-sale dates and confirm the 2026 host early next year.
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