In the universe of dog lovers, owners, and handlers, there's no event quite as anticipated as the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Unknown to many, it's the second longest continuously running sporting event in the US, with the Kentucky Derby in the lead. The show is traditionally hosted in New York City's Madison Square Garden. In 2026, it has been taking place across three days: Jan. 31, Feb. 2, and Tuesday, Feb. 3, with daytime events staged at the Javits Center.
More than 3,000 champion dogs from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 17 other countries are competing, and the finale — which will crown one lucky pooch as Best in Show, judged by two-time Best in Show winner and Pekingese breeder David Fitzpatrick — will be held Tuesday, from 7:30 pm to 11 pm ET.
At a Glance: How to Watch the 2026 Westminster Dog Show Finale
Iron Man, an All-American Dog, competes in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's 2026 Masters Agility Championship on January 31, 2026, in New York City.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
The past few days have included flyball competitions (essentially, relay races in which teams of four dogs clear hurdles, launch tennis balls by activating spring-loaded boxes, and return with said balls), agility tests, and other canine challenges. The winning dogs across the American Kennel Club's seven recognized groups — sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding — proceed to the ultimate Best in Show round, which tends to draw the most crowds (millions of viewers tune in to watch the prestigious award get presented live every year).
2025's Best in Show winner was the five-year-old male Giant Schnauzer Monty, who was the first of his breed to ever take home the prize. The breeds advancing to Tuesday's Best in Show judging include an Afghan Hound, a Maltese, a Lhasa Apso, and an Old English Sheepdog, with the sporting, working, and terrier qualifiers to be announced throughout the day before 7:30 pm
Owner and handler Katie Bernardin with her Giant Schnauzer Monty, who won Best in Show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 11, 2025, in New York City.
Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
Want to root for your favorite breed or simply observe the smartest and most well-trained dogs around the world come for first place? You can catch the Westminster Dog Show happenings live without a cable subscription by streaming the show online.
How to Watch the 2026 Westminster Dog Show Finale Online Without Cable
The 2026 Westminster Dog Show Best in Show event will air on FS1. If you don't have access to the channel through a cable package, you can livestream it online using one of the editor-recommended streaming platforms below.
DirecTV
DirecTV carries FS1 in most of its packages, from Entertainment to Premier, as well as interest-specific genre packs like MySports. Whatever subscription tier you choose, they all kick off with a five-day free trial that you can use to watch the Best in Show winner announcement for free. The FS1-equipped plans start at $69.99 a month after the trial period ends and includes other major channels like ESPN and CNN, depending on the breadth of the plan.
Fubo
Fubo offers FS1 in plans like Sports + News, Pro, and Elite. You get a five-day free trial as an introductory perk, which will be followed by a first-month discount of up to $30 off. Afterwards, pricing starts at $55.99 a month, and even the most basic Sports + News package (which has 29 channels) comes with ABC, CBS, and ESPN Unlimited.
Hulu + Live TV
FS1 is included in Hulu + Live TV's lineup of over 95 sports, news, and entertainment channels. The service's free trial period is the most limited, at three days, but it will still give you enough time to watch the Westminster Dog Show finale live tonight. Interested in continuing your subscription? It's priced at $89.99 a month and, as a bonus, comes pre-loaded with Disney+.
Sling
FS1 can be watched via Sling's Blue, Select, and Orange + Blue packages. These also offer up ABC, NBC, CNN, and even National Geographic for your viewing pleasure, depending on the exact plan you end up picking. Though Sling doesn't do free trials right now, the aforementioned packages start at just $29.99 a month, and everyone is eligible for a “half off your first month” discount when first signing up for Sling Orange + Blue.
Westminster Dog Show History
The Westminster Dog Show is organized each year by the Westminster Kennel Club, which is the oldest non-profit organization in America “dedicated to the sport showing of dogs,” according to its official site. The event was kicked off in the 19th century by a group of hunting enthusiasts who gathered at New York's Westminster Hotel to talk all things dogs — including the lack of formalized dog shows in the city. They decided to launch their own, naming their enterprise after the location in which the idea first came to life.
In 1877, the show's inaugural year, 1,201 dogs entered the competition. Hunting breeds dominated the scene back then: slowly but surely expanding to the American Kennel Club's seven groups known today (the herding category was introduced last). The Best in Show title was brought to the big stage in 1907, with the “no cash prizes” rule being implemented from the start. The Westminster Dog Show first landed on television in 1948 and became streaming-friendly in 2005. “In the first year online, a record 1.4 million streaming videos were requested as viewers from 140 countries tuned in to expanded coverage of their beloved show,” the Westminster Kennel Club reports.
Terriers have gotten Best in Show the most out of any group, and a single Smooth Fox Terrier was even able to clinch the win three consecutive times (in 1907, 1908, and 1909).
A Miniature Pinscher cowering in front of four Great Danes at the 1937 Westminster Dog Show, held at Madison Square Garden.
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
