Lainey Wilson to Host CMA Awards for Third Straight Year — SkimNews
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- Lainey Wilson will return as host of the CMA Awards on November 18, marking her third straight year in the role and second consecutive solo hosting stint after co-hosting with Luke Bryan in 2024.
- The 2026 ceremony will celebrate the CMA Awards' 60th anniversary, airing live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena and carried by both Disney+ and ABC.
- Wilson, a 12-time CMA Award winner including 2025 Entertainer of the Year, announced her hosting return on ESPN College GameDay, which broadcast from LSU in her home state of Louisiana.
- The show will presumably feature a tribute to Dolly Parton, who served as the first-ever female solo host of the CMA Awards back in 1988.
- Nominees for the 60th annual CMA Awards will be announced Thursday, September 10 on Good Morning America.
Why it matters: Wilson is now the longest-running consecutive host the CMA Awards have had in recent memory, anchoring a milestone 60th-anniversary broadcast. Disney+ and ABC's joint carriage of the November 18 show signals the CMAs continuing to use Wilson's crossover momentum to reach both streaming and linear country audiences, with the nominee reveal set for September 10 on Good Morning America.
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