Where to Stream Farm Aid Music Festival Live Online for Free

Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and more hit Virginia Beach for the annual benefit

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Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews are getting the Farm Aid crew back together.

Farm Aid returns Saturday, Sept. 26, for another marathon of live music benefiting family farmers, this time taking over Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Willie Nelson and Family, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds lead the bill, alongside Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, and more.

At a Glance: How to Watch Farm Aid 2026 Online

• TV channel: CNN
• Stream: DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV
• Date, time: Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET

CNN also returns as the festival’s exclusive broadcast partner, with four hours of live coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. John Berman and Laura Coates will co-anchor from Virginia Beach, while CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir will report from the festival grounds.

The good news for cord-cutters: You won’t need a traditional cable package to tune in. CNN is available through several live TV streaming services, including a few with free trials.

How to Watch Farm Aid 2026 Online for Free

Farm Aid 2026 will air live on CNN on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. CNN subscribers and pay TV subscribers can also stream the concert through CNN.com/Watch, the CNN app, and CNN connected TV apps.

If CNN isn’t part of your current setup, live TV streaming services DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV all carry the network. Here’s what to know about each option.

DirecTV

➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Packages with CNN starting at $39.99/month

No cable? DirecTV includes CNN in packages starting at $39.99 a month, along with MSNBC, Fox News, and local channels. New subscribers can also score a five-day free trial, which covers the Farm Aid broadcast.

Hulu + Live TV

➤ Three-day free trial
➤ Packages with CNN starting at $89.99/month

Hulu + Live TV is a solid all-in-one option for streaming Farm Aid and more without cable. The $89.99 monthly bundle includes CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, and local networks, plus Hulu’s on-demand library, ESPN, and Disney+, with a three-day free trial for new subscribers.

YouTube TV

➤ Free trial
➤ $64.99/month
➤ Up to 100+ channels

YouTube TV is another option for catching Farm Aid on CNN without cable. Both streaming plans start with a free trial, typically five days but sometimes longer, followed by a discounted first month from $44.99 before the lower-tier package settles at $64.99 a month.

Sling TV

➤ Packages with CNN starting at $45.99/month
➤ One-day, three-day, and seven-day passes starting at $4.99
➤ No free trial

Sling offers CNN through its Orange, Blue, and Orange + Blue packages, with monthly plans starting at $45.99. If you’re only tuning in for Farm Aid, short-term passes cost $4.99 for one day, $9.99 for three days, or $14.99 for seven days, while the service also carries MSNBC, Fox News, and local networks.

CNN previously broadcast Farm Aid’s 40th anniversary in 2025, reaching 3.88 million people globally. CNN says viewers contributed more than $615,000 to Farm Aid during the broadcast.

Who’s Performing at Farm Aid 2026?

Farm Aid is bringing a stacked lineup to Virginia Beach this year, led by longtime board members Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, and Nathaniel Rateliff. The full Farm Aid 2026 lineup also includes Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Ty Myers, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, Mon Rovîa, I’m With Her, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola, Chris Pierce, and the Wisdom Indian Dancers.

Performances kick off at 12:25 p.m. ET, with Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds taking the stage at 7:44 p.m., followed by John Mellencamp at 8:36 p.m., Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts at 9:28 p.m., and Willie Nelson & Family closing out the night at 10:20 p.m.