How to watch the 2026 Met Gala in Australia: start times and official livestream

Australians will need an early start to catch fashion’s most closely watched red carpet. The 2026 Met Gala returns to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on Monday, May 4 (US time), with this year’s theme, “Costume Art,” set to guide the night’s standout looks.

Beyoncé is slated to make her Met Gala comeback after a decade away, co-chairing alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour. The red carpet officially opens at 6:00 pm Eastern Time (ET) on Monday, May 4, with arrivals beginning from 5:30 pm ET. For viewers in Australia, that translates to 8:00 am AEST on Tuesday, May 5 for those in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

The event’s official livestream will be hosted by Vogue and available globally across its website and digital platforms, including YouTube and social media channels. The broadcast focuses on the red carpet arrivals, featuring interviews with celebrities and designers as they ascend the Met’s famous steps.

The gala itself remains a private affair. coverage, highlights and key fashion moments are typically published shortly after the event across entertainment and fashion outlets. With “Costume Art” as the brief and a star-studded roster of co-chairs, the 2026 red carpet is poised to deliver the year’s defining fashion images.