It’s officially debate season. Here’s how to find a Presidential debate live stream to watch the Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
- When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 9pm ET
- Where: Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio
- Moderator: Chris Wallace, Fox News Channel
The debate is the first of three Presidential debates taking place over the next month. Biden has been polling consistently better than Trump in both national polls and decisive swing state polls. If Trump is to change the calculus of the race, and sway what few undecided voters remain in the U.S., Tuesday’s debate is an opportunity to do that.
What is the debate format on Tuesday?
Wondering what to expect when you watch the Presidential debate on Tuesday? It will look like past Presidential debates—though not exactly.
Tuesday’s debate will be 90 minutes, with moderator Chris Wallace asking questions of both candidates. (A coin flip determined Trump will take the first question.) There will be no opening statements, and because of the pandemic, no planned opening handshake between the candidates. (Given the tenor of the campaign, it’s probably just as well.)
There will also be a limited audience of about 70 people watching the debate, so not the full auditorium of people you know from past versions, but not entirely void of people either.
The debate will be divided into six sections of 15 minutes each, with no commercial breaks. Those categories are:
- The Trump and Biden Records
- The Supreme Court
- Covid-19
- The Economy
- Race and Violence in our Cities
- The Integrity of the Election
Which channels will carry the Presidential debate?
Looking to catch a Presidential debate live stream? These are the channels carrying the Presidential debate.
- ABC (with 3 hours of coverage, starting at 8pm ET)
- C-SPAN (starting 3 1/2 hours of coverage at 9pm ET, replaying the debate at 12:30am ET, and featuring an hour of post-debate viewer calls, social media highlights, and debate highlights at 2am ET)
- CBS (on from 9-11pm, with CBSN starting coverage at 5pm ET)
- CNN (will start nine hours of debate coverage at 7pm ET, followed by a replay of the debate at 4am ET)
- Fox (will carry the 9-10:30pm ET debate)
- Fox News Channel (with 2 hours of coverage from 9-11pm ET, with the debate simulcasting on Fox Business Channel, Fox News Radio, and streaming free on Foxnews.com and in the Fox News app)
- MSNBC (with coverage beginning at 8pm ET)
- NBC (with coverage, including post-debate coverage, beginning at 9pm ET)
2020 Presidential Debate schedule: When’s the next debate?
Following Tuesday’s debate, the 2020 Presidential debate live stream schedule is as follows:
- Wednesday, Oct. 7 (Vice-Presidential debate, Salt Lake City)
- Thursday, Oct. 15 (Second Presidential debate, Miami)
- Thursday, Oct. 22 (Third Presidential debate, Nashville)
How to watch the Presidential debate: 2020 Presidential debate live stream
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a great way to stream live TV, as it comes with access to Hulu’s massive library of on-demand content. You’ll be able to choose from movies, shows, and Hulu’s original programming, and keep up with what’s new each month. Hulu plans even include a bundle option where you can access Disney+ and ESPN+ along with Hulu.
Hulu Live TV sets you up with local channels and has a broad spectrum of entertainment and sports channels to review, including the full suite of ESPN channels, Cartoon Network, FX, HGTV, and even deep cuts like National Geographic and Syfy. You can stream CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC on Hulu Live TV, as well as the local channels you usually get.
| Hulu Live TV | $69.99 |
| Hulu Live TV (no ads on Hulu content) | $75.99 |
Sling TV
If you’re looking for a streamlined, cost-effective streaming package, check out Sling TV. It offers two basic cable packages, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, each of which costs $30 per month. There’s also the third option of getting Sling Orange + Blue for just $45 per month. You’ll get more Sling TV channels by choosing Sling Blue, with its 40 channels including sports favorites like FS1 and NBCSN and cable mainstays like Food Network and Discovery Channel. But Sling Orange brings must-haves Disney Channel and ESPN as part of its package.
You can find the Presidential debate live streaming on CNN through Sling Orange. Sling Blue will stream the Presidential debate via CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. If you use Sling with Air TV, you’ll also have access to your local channels; check out our Sling TV guide for more on that.
| Orange | $35 |
| Blue | $35 |
| Orange + Blue | $50 |
FuboTV
FuboTV started as a streaming service geared toward sports fans, but it’s evolved into a broadly-appealing option with entertainment and news options alongside its robust sports choices. Depending on the package, you can access as many as 180+ FuboTV channels. If you’re looking to be entertained, Bravo, IFC, MTV, and VH1 are options even at Fubo’s most basic tier. The Fubo channel list still includes plenty of sports, including the Fubo Sports Network, which has original programming mixing sports and humor. The FuboTV cost starts at $54.99 a month, and with Disney Media favorites like ABC, ESPN, and the Disney Channel now on board, some who were on the fence about Fubo are giving it another look.
With the exception of C-SPAN and CNN, you have plenty of options for a Presidential debate live stream.
| Pro | $69.99 |
| Elite | $79.99 |
| Ultimate | $99.99 |
AT&T TV Now
If you’re already looking to AT&T for your wireless needs, you might consider AT&T TV Now to cover streaming for you. AT&T TV Now channels start with Plus and Max, which even include HBO. Then, AT&T plans expand from there, approaching cable selection and pricing with AT&T TV Now’s biggest packages. AT&T streaming also comes with Cloud DVR, letting you record up to 20 hours of TV per month. Even C-SPAN’s available to stream the Presidential debate on AT&T TV Now. If there’s a channel you want, there’s likely an AT&T TV Now plan that will get it to you.
YouTube TV
The YouTube TV channel list includes local channels, sports options including ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, and NBA TV, and plenty to keep kids (and kids at heart) occupied, including Disney Channel and its companion channels, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network—all in one easy-to-access package. It even comes with a few Spanish-language channels like Telemundo and NBC Universo. YouTube add-ons include HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz. YouTube TV packages have some advantages over their competitors, including a generous DVR and multiple screens package. From one account, each user can create an individual profile to track favorite shows.
If you’re looking for a Presidential debate live stream, you have options galore on YouTube TV.
| 1 Month | $64.99 |
Vidgo
Vidgo offers a package for under $40 a month that pulls together more than 60 English-language channels into its National English Package. The package of Vidgo channels include ABC, Fox, and the ESPN family (including ESPN Deportes). It’s also one of the few streaming services that carries BeIN Sports. But it’s like Fubo in that, even though it started out for streaming sports, it carries a lot more now. Vidgo not only offers options for Presidential debate live streaming, it provides a Social TV platform that lets you voice your thoughts to other Vidgo streamers.