Marcello Hernández will host the 2026 ESPYs, bringing ’s awards show back to New York City for the first time in more than 25 years. The ceremony is set for July 15 at the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, a move that puts one of comedy’s fastest-rising names on a live stage with a long memory.
That date now matters because the show is no longer just picking a host; it is marking a homecoming. The ESPYs began in New York in 1993 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, moved to Radio City Music Hall, and left the city in 2000 before spending years in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. This year’s broadcast will air on ABC and stream on the app, giving Hernández a prime-time platform tied to one of the most unusual location changes the awards have made in decades.
Hernández has spent the last few years turning his name into a familiar one for viewers of Saturday Night Live, where he developed recurring characters that helped define his rise. Earlier in 2026, he also released his first Netflix comedy special, Marcello Hernández: American Boy, adding a new credit to a career that has moved quickly from club work to major television.
His path to this point gives the choice a sharper edge. Hernández said he started doing comedy 10 years ago in Cleveland, Ohio, and used to take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time. That kind of start makes the New York hosting assignment feel less like a casting call than a full-circle moment, even if the scale of the show is far bigger than the stages he was chasing then.
The booking also fits the kind of host the ESPYs have often favored, with comedians, athletes and entertainers taking turns over the years. Craig Lazarus said Hernández is one of the most electric young comedians working today and that his genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit for this year’s show. He added that the team is excited to partner with him and expects a fresh take on the night.
What remains unknown is the rest of the program. Hernández is the name attached to the front of the show, but the lineup of presenters, athletes and other guests has not been announced. For now, the clearest story is the one already set: on July 15, the ESPYs go back to New York, and Hernández gets the mic.
