Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” cast member Marcello Hernández has been selected to host the 2026 ESPYS, making him one of the youngest entertainers to lead the annual sports awards show. The 28-year-old comic will helm the annual sports celebration on July 15 from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, NYC.
The ESPYS (short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards) honors the year’s top athletes, teams and moments in sports while also supporting the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity founded by ESPN and late basketball coach Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYS in 1993.
Hernández, who joined “Saturday Night Live” in 2022 and has become one of the sketch comedy show’s breakout performers, said he was eager to take on the assignment: “I’m incredibly honored to host The ESPYS this year,” Hernández said in a statement. “Sports and comedy have always been two of my biggest passions, and getting to bring them together on this stage is a dream.”
Hernández, who recently completed his fourth season on Saturday Night Live and debuted his first Netflix stand-up special, American Boy, in January, has deep personal ties to the host city and a background in sports, having previously played soccer at John Carroll University. “I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” Hernández said in a statement. “It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYS this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”
Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and the event’s executive producer, said in a statement: “Marcello is one of the most electric young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year’s ESPYS, We are excited to partner with him to celebrate the best moments in sports and look forward to the fresh take he’ll bring to the show.”
The 2026 ceremony is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC and will be available for live streaming on ESPN+. On-demand streaming will open the following day across Hulu, the ESPN app, and ABC Video on Demand platforms. Additional presenters, nominees and special honorees for the 2026 ESPYS are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
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