The Spelling Bee is back, which means it is once again time to watch brilliant kids keep their cool while the rest of us Google in silence. The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee is underway in Washington, D.C., and if you want to follow every round live, you have options.
How to watch (all times ET)
- Preliminaries: Tuesday, May 26, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on Scripps Sports Network (streaming live)
- Quarterfinals: Wednesday, May 27, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. on Scripps Sports Network
- Semifinals: Wednesday, May 27, 8 p.m.–10 p.m. on ION
- Finals: Thursday, May 28, 8 p.m.–10 p.m. on ION
If you do not get ION or just want backup, the Bee is also running across Scripps outlets: ION Plus, Bounce, Grit, Laff, The Spot, Scripps News, and Scripps Sports Network.
Who is competing (and what they are playing for)
This year’s field is 247 contestants, ages 9 to 15, representing schools and regional champs from across the U.S. A few familiar names are back for another deep run: Sarv Dharavane, Esha Marupudi, and Oliver Halkett. The winner takes home the Scripps Cup, a commemorative medal, and $50,000. Also: bragging rights forever, which honestly might be the best part.
Quick refresher on the format
The Bee moves through four stages: prelims, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. It is not just oral spelling anymore; there are vocabulary questions and written tests mixed in to make sure contestants actually know the words, not just how to parrot letters.
And then there is the twist everyone holds their breath for: the Spell-Off. If the finals are deadlocked, the remaining spellers get 90 seconds each to spell as many words as possible. It is chaotic, tense, and weirdly addictive.
Host update
For the primetime rounds on ION, ESPN’s Mina Kimes is hosting the semifinals and finals on May 27 and May 28. Yes, that Mina Kimes. Fun bit of trivia: she is a three-time school spelling bee champ herself, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes this booking make sense.
Why this week could get spicy
Between the returning finalists and a field that looks extra sharp, expect tight rounds and maybe another dramatic finish. Last year, Faizan Zaki won it all with the word 'eclaircissement'—a reminder that the French are undefeated at making English speakers sweat.
I will be watching. If you are in too, set those reminders—prelims start early, the semis and finals hit primetime, and the whole thing tends to deliver real-deal championship drama without a single scoreboard in sight.