Riley Green and Lara Spencer Named Hosts of CMA Fest 2026 on ABC: Here Is Everything You Need to Know

The biggest country music festival in the world just got its hosts - and the combination is one worth paying attention to.

The Country Music Association announced on Wednesday, May 27, that Riley Green and Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer will host the televised CMA Fest summer concert special - marking the first time either has taken the hosting role. 

The three-hour special, titled CMA Fest Presented by SoFi, will air Thursday, June 25, at 8 PM ET on ABC and stream the following day on Hulu. With the 2026 airing, CMA celebrates 23 consecutive years of producing a summer concert television special. 

Green will also be performing a headline set at the festival itself - so he arrives at Nashville not just as a host but as one of the artists on the main stage. For a country artist from Jacksonville, Alabama who has built his career on songs about where he comes from, hosting the world's longest-running country music festival from Nashville's Nissan Stadium is the kind of moment that does not need much explaining. 

The festival runs June 4-7 in downtown Nashville. The main stage lineup confirmed for the broadcast includes Lainey Wilson, Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, HARDY, Jason Aldean, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, and more. CMA Fest draws an estimated 95,000 daily attendees, with free daytime performances spread across multiple stages throughout downtown Nashville. 

The special will feature performances, exclusive collaborations, and surprise appearances. Full performance details are still being confirmed ahead of the June 25 broadcast. 

For JubileeCast readers, this one carries extra weight. Riley Green just won Music Event of the Year at the 61st ACM Awards alongside Ella Langley - making them only the second duo to win that category in back-to-back years, joining Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Country music's most celebrated moments this season have had faith written all over them. CMA Fest is where that season comes together live. 

How to watch: ABC on June 25 at 8 PM ET. Stream the next day on Hulu.

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