As the heat of summer gives way to the cool of fall, August acts as the ultimate crossover month for sports, as some end, some hot up, and some start all over again.
To help you stay in the game, we’ve broken down the biggest happenings over the next month, to help you see the best of the late summer sport. Remember, if you find yourself wondering what sport is on TV today, our up-to-date sports TV guide has the answers, with event times and broadcast information.
Key sports dates in August 2026
| Dates | Sports highlights |
|---|---|
| Throughout August | MLB playoff race – Daily regular-season games as teams compete for postseason places. |
| August 4–September 6 | Leagues Cup – MLS and Liga MX clubs compete in the month-long tournament. |
| August 6–29 | NFL preseason – The Hall of Fame Game opens three weeks of preseason action. |
| August 13–30 | FedExCup Playoffs – Three tournaments determine the PGA Tour’s FedExCup champion. |
| August 15–28 | European soccer leagues return – La Liga, Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A and Bundesliga begin their new seasons. |
| Throughout August | WNBA playoff race – The regular season enters an important stage ahead of the September finish. |
| August 21–23 | Dutch Grand Prix – Formula 1 returns from its summer break with a Sprint weekend. |
| August 27–29 | College football Week 0 – The 2026 college football season begins with games across the final weekend of August. |
| August 30–September 13 | US Open tennis – The final Grand Slam tournament of the season begins at Flushing Meadows. |
Major League Baseball
No sport dominates the summer like baseball, and with good reason. As the trade deadline passes, the race for the pennant explodes into life, with teams jockeying for position as the playoffs loom. There’s consequential games daily, and you can see them all play out live across a wide variety of different channels. With so many responsible for broadcasting games, make sure to keep our MLB TV Schedule bookmarked.
Where to watch:
- TV Channels: FOX, FS1, ESPN, NBC, MLB Network, TBS, and local team broadcasters
- Streaming: Apple TV (including Friday Night Baseball), Peacock, MLB.TV (availability can be affected by national and local restrictions)
NFL and College Football
Both the college and professional games finally return to the field in August.
In the NFL, the preseason kicks off on August 6th, with the annual Hall Of Fame game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers leading into a solid three weeks of preseason action. Expect highly-touted rookies and players desperate for one last shot looking to impress as they battle it out for roster spots.
Where to watch NFL:
- TV Channels: NBC, CBS, FOX and ESPN, with select games also broadcast on NFL Network
- Streaming: NFL+ (all out of market games - blackout restrictions apply for in-market and national broadcast games), Peacock, Paramount+, Amazon Prime (streams one preseason game and Thursday Night Football during the regular season).
- Every game of the NFL preseason, regular season and playoffs can be found on our NFL TV schedule.
Elsewhere, college football’s Week 0 begins on August 27 and continues through August 29, with matchups including North Carolina vs. TCU in Ireland and USC’s season opener against San Jose State. It’s high stakes from the off as the chase for this year’s National Championship begins.
College football dominates the airwaves of four of the biggest networks, with ESPN, ABC, CBS and FOX anchoring the coverage. Find out where to find the top matchups via our college football TV calendar.
Summer Soccer
Not quite done with soccer after the World Cup? You’re in luck. The MLS season hots up, with the race for the MLS Cup narrowing, and the Leagues Cup, beginning on August 4th, brings together the best of two leagues in a battle for supremacy. Elsewhere, all the major European soccer leagues begin play again in August. It’s an exciting time for soccer fans - if you can keep up with it all!
Soccer is split across a huge array of different TV channels and streaming platforms, and if you want the full breakdown, make sure to check out our soccer TV schedule. Not only that, but we also released a specific ‘what’s on’ soccer viewing guide for August and September.
Tennis
The tennis world descends on Flushing Meadows from Sunday August 30th to Sunday September 13th, as the US Open main draw begins. You won’t want to miss the usual blend of electric atmosphere and top-class play, and you can hit every ball from the comfort of your home.
Where to watch:
- TV Channels: Daily coverage on ESPN and ESPN2, with weekend broadcasts on ABC.
- Streaming: ESPN Select will feature every match from every court available to stream.
- Keep up to date with brackets, daily schedules and match times over on our tennis TV guide.
Golf
It’s crunch time on the PGA tour as the FedExCup playoffs begin, with the FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 13-16) followed by the BMW Championship (August 20-23) and the Tour Championship (27-30), cutting the best of the best down to one worthy winner.
Where to watch:
- TV channels: ESPN will show two-hour opening windows on Thursday and Friday of each tournament, followed by additional coverage on Golf Channel. CBS will carry the principal weekend coverage.
- More is expected to be announced - your best way to keep up with all the tee times and broadcast windows is on our full golf schedule.
WNBA
Perhaps the fastest growing league in America, this August, the WNBA is hotting up. The regular season is approaching its conclusion on September 24th, and the intensity - as teams battle for the playoffs - is ramping right up.
Where to watch:
TV Channels: ESPN, ABC, NBA TV, USA Network, NBC, CBS, NBCSN, and ION, as well as local networks.
- Streaming: WNBA League Pass (nationally broadcast games will be impacted by blackout restrictions), Paramount+, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video.
- The WNBA is picking up new coverage all the time, so keep on top of where to see sport’s newest stars on our WNBA 2026 TV schedule.
Motorsports
It wouldn’t be summer without the roar of engines, and that’s just what August delivers. The NASCAR Cup Series heads for the playoffs, while Formula 1 kicks off its second half following the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix (sprint weekend) taking place across August 21st-23rd There’s sure to be thrilling wheel-to-wheel action as both series hit their apex.
Where to watch:
Nascar Cup:
- TV Channels: USA Network (9th, 15th, 23rd) and NBC (29th).
Formula 1:
- Streaming: Apple TV
Find when all your favourites will hit the track on the full motorsport TV guide.
You’re never far from watching something you love this August. To stay in touch with when and where it’s all happening, why not bookmark Livesportsontv.com? With us as your daily companion, you need never miss a moment of one of the hottest months on the calendar.