The best spellers in the USA under the age of 15 are set to spell for the title tonight during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

After a week of preliminaries, quarterfinals and semifinals, nine spellers remain compete in the finals for the Scripps Cup and the $50,000 grand prize.

This year, a new host will be brought on to helm the Bee’s broadcast. ESPN NFL analyst and Celebrity Jeopardy! champion Mina Kimes will host the National Spelling Bee finals. The Bee’s media guide notes that Kimes is a former school spelling bee champion herself.

When is the Scripps National Spelling Bee on TV?

The final round of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee is on tonight, May 28, at 8 p.m. ET. The Bee will air on ION Television.

How to Watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee 2026 for Free

If you don’t have cable or a TV antenna, you’ll need to utilize a live TV streaming service to stream the Spelling Bee. Our favorite is DIRECTV, which comes with a five-day free trial before payment begins.

DIRECTV offers a number of flexible subscription options, including Genre Packs, so you can best choose which streaming plans fit your needs and budget. Packs with ION Television start at $34.99/month.

How Many Spellers Are in the Finals of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee?

Nine spellers have advanced into the finals of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Here’s a little more about the spellers competing for the Scripps Cup and the $50,000 prize.

• Speller No. 13: Aiden Meng, a 13-year old seventh grader from Danville, California
• Speller No. 20: Oliver Halkett, a 14-year old eighth grader from Los Angeles, California
• Speller No. 29: Shrey Parikh, a 14-year old eighth grader from San Bernardino, California
• Speller No. 42: Zwe Spacetime, a 14-year old eighth grader from Washington, D.C.
• Speller No. 56: Sarv Dharavane, a 12-year old sixth grader from Tucker, Georgia
• Speller No. 137: Ishaan Gupta, a 12-year old seventh grader from Jersey City, New Jersey
• Speller No. 155: Kushi Gottimukkala, a 13-year old seventh grader from Charlotte, North Carolina
• Speller No. 207: Avishka Dudala, a 13-year old eighth grader from Dallas, Texas
• Speller No. 213: Logan Bailey, a 12-year old sixth grader from Houston, Texas.

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