Marcello Hernández lands 2026 ESPYS hosting role after four seasons on ‘Saturday Night Live’

Marcello Hernández has been named host of the 2026 ESPYS, adding another major milestone to a rapidly rising career that has taken him from small comedy stages to national television.

The comedian and Saturday Night Live standout will front the annual sports awards ceremony on July 15 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York. The event will air live on ABC and celebrate the biggest achievements and moments from across the sporting world.

Hernández, 28, recently completed his fourth season as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where he has become one of the programme’s most recognisable performers. Earlier this year, he also released his debut comedy special, Marcello Hernández: American Boy, on Netflix, further expanding his profile beyond sketch comedy.

Reacting to the announcement, Hernández reflected on the long journey that led him to one of television’s highest profile hosting jobs. He recalled beginning his comedy career a decade ago in Cleveland, Ohio, and travelling long distances to New York in pursuit of stage opportunities.

According to Hernández, he would take a 12 hour train journey to New York and sell tickets on the streets of Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time. Looking back, he described hosting the ESPYS in New York as both an honour and something that still feels difficult to believe.

The comedian also brings a genuine connection to sport. Before entering entertainment, Hernández played football at John Carroll University and has remained an enthusiastic sports fan. That background helped make him an attractive choice for organisers looking for a host capable of connecting with both athletes and audiences.

Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of the ESPYS, praised Hernández as one of the most exciting young comedians working today. He highlighted the performer’s passion for sport and his links to New York City as key reasons behind the selection.

The appointment continues a long tradition of comedians hosting the ESPYS. Over the years, the ceremony has been fronted by notable figures including Dennis Miller, Jeff Foxworthy, Norm Macdonald, Jamie Foxx, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan and Shane Gillis, who hosted the event in 2025.

New York holds a special place in the history of the ESPYS. The awards were staged in the city during their first seven years between 1993 and 1999 and returned there in 2021. The 2026 ceremony marks another chapter in that relationship, bringing the event back to one of the world’s most famous entertainment capitals.

In addition to its live ABC broadcast, the show will stream through the ESPN App and become available on demand the following day via Disney+, Hulu, the ESPN App and ABC Video on Demand.