Press release - Primetime – ScriptedPrimetime – Unscripted
July 27, 2026
ABC ANNOUNCES FALL 2026 PREMIERE DATES
Network Enters the Season Fresh Off Delivering 10 of the Top 20 Programs in Adults 18-49, More Than Any Other Broadcast Network
After receiving the most Emmy® Award nominations across broadcast networks for a second consecutive year, ABC unveiled its fall 2026 premiere dates today, showcasing a lineup of hit reality shows, standout comedies and can’t-miss dramas. The news comes following a successful season where ABC delivered 10 of the Top 20 programs in the 2025-2026 broadcast season across Adults 18-49, more than any other broadcast network.*
“Monday Night Football” returns on most Mondays beginning MONDAY, SEPT. 14 (Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs). The full ABC/ESPN “Monday Night Football” schedule can be found here.
Coming off its epic Season 34, where it garnered a half billion votes from fans and scored its first Emmy nod for Outstanding Reality Competition Program in a decade, “Dancing with the Stars” kicks off a two-night premiere event TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, followed at 10 p.m. by the second season of “R.J. Decker.”
Wednesday nights bring a two-episode premiere of “Scrubs” on SEPT. 30, followed by a two-episode premiere of “Shark Tank.” Emmy Award-winning comedy “Abbott Elementary” joins the night beginning OCT. 7 at 8:30 p.m., followed by the continuation of season five of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” at 9:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCT. 15, welcomes back the “9-1-1” franchise with flagship series “9-1-1” at 8 p.m., “9-1-1: Nashville” at 9 p.m., and then the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history, “Grey’s Anatomy,” at 10 p.m.
ABC News’ top-rated newsmagazine “20/20,” anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts, returns FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, at 9 p.m., and the premiere of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” with Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White joins on FRIDAY, OCT. 2, at 8 p.m.
“College Football” kicks off SATURDAY, AUG. 29 (Alabama A&M vs. Howard); the full schedule can be found here. Sunday nights return SEPT. 27, with a two-episode premiere of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” at 7 p.m., followed by “The Wonderful World of Disney,” kicking off the season with the world television premiere of “Inside Out 2.”
As previously announced, new seasons of returning series “The Bachelor,” “High Potential,” “The Rookie,” “Shifting Gears” and “Will Trent,” as well as the series premieres of “The Rookie: North” and “The Untitled Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, will debut in 2027. “Celebrity Jeopardy!,” which was previously announced for fall, will also return in 2027. These premiere dates will be announced at a later date.
SCHEDULE:
Airdates are as follows (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific). All original programming will stream the next day on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers. “Dancing with the Stars” will also simulcast live on Disney+.
SATURDAY, AUG. 29
7:30 p.m. “College Football” (Alabama A&M vs. Howard)
MONDAY, SEPT. 14
8:00 p.m. “Monday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars” (two-night premiere)
10:00 p.m. “R.J. Decker”
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars” (special night)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
9:00 p.m. “20/20”
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (two-episode premiere)
9:00 p.m. “The Wonderful World of Disney” (“Inside Out 2”)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
8:00 p.m. “Scrubs” (two-episode premiere)
9:00 p.m. “Shark Tank” (two-episode premiere)
FRIDAY, OCT. 2
8:00 p.m. “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune”
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7
8:30 p.m. “Abbott Elementary
10:00 p.m. “Shark Tank” (regular timeslot)
THURSDAY, OCT. 15
8:00 p.m. “9-1-1”
9:00 p.m. “9-1-1: Nashville”
10:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
*Source: Nielsen 2025-2026 Season (9/14/25 – 5/20/26). Cross-Platform analysis of Nielsen Linear + SCR data based on 7 days of viewing from the linear air date and streaming FSD. Includes pre-season premieres. Broadcast original series only. Excludes sports, specials, news/documentaries, and repeats. Linear based on Nielsen’s L+7 Updated Big Data Plus Panel methodology.
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