Streamer Awards 2026: Applications Are Open, and the Show Is Set for November 12
·4 min read
The Streamer Awards opened applications for its 2026 edition today, with 36 categories to enter and a hard deadline of October 2. The show itself lands on Thursday, November 12 at 3:00 PM PT. The detail most people will miss: only work from November 8, 2025 to October 1, 2026 is eligible, so a career highlight from earlier than that counts for nothing this cycle.
Every Date That Matters
| Phase | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Applications openopen now | August 31, 2026 | 12:00 PM PT |
| Public nominations open | September 12, 2026 | 12:00 PM PT |
| Applications & nominations close | October 2, 2026 | 11:59 PM PT |
| Voting opens | October 16, 2026 | 12:00 PM PT |
| Voting closes | October 31, 2026 | 11:59 PM PT |
| Pick'em predictions close | November 12, 2026 | 12:00 PM PT |
| The show | November 12, 2026 | 3:00 PM PT |
All times Pacific, per thestreamerawards.com. 3:00 PM PT on show day is 6:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM in the UK and midnight in Central Europe.
The Eligibility Window Is the Part People Get Wrong
Eligible content window
November 8, 2025 → October 1, 2026
The window opens the day after the previous show and closes the day before applications shut. Everything you submit — a marathon, a collab, an event, a breakout run — has to have happened inside it. This is why a stream that dominated the conversation in the middle of 2025 is not a 2026 entry, and it is the single most common reason an application gets thrown out before anyone judges the work.
Applying and Nominating Are Two Different Things
Applications — creators
You submit your own work, in the categories you choose, through the official site after logging in with your streaming platform account. Open now, closes October 2.
Nominations — everyone else
Viewers put forward the creators they want on the ballot. Opens September 12, closes on the same day as applications — October 2.
The twelve-day head start for applications is deliberate: creators get a run at the form before the public nomination flood arrives, and both close together so the shortlist can be assembled from a single pool. If you are a creator, do not wait for the nomination window — that one is not for you.
Apply at thestreamerawards.com
Official site — applications, nominations, voting and the Pick'em contest all run through it.
All 36 Categories
The headline awards
- Streamer of the Year
- Gamer of the Year
- The Sapphire Award
- League of Their Own
Game-specific
- Best FPS Streamer
- Best MOBA Streamer
- Best Battle Royale Streamer
- Best Fighting Game Streamer
- Best MMORPG Streamer
- Best Fortnite Streamer
- Best Minecraft Streamer
- Best Strategy Game Streamer
- Best Cozy Game Streamer
- Best Speedrun Streamer
- Best Sports Streamer
Style & format
- Best Just Chatting Streamer
- Best Variety Streamer
- Best IRL Streamer
- Best Role-Play Streamer
- Best Reality Streamer
- Best Music Streamer
- Best Creative Arts Streamer
- Best VTuber
- Best Vertical Live Streamer
Groups & collaborations
- Best Content Group
- Best Stream Duo
- Best Streamed Collab
- Best Streamed Event
- Best Streamed Series
- Best Marathon Stream
Newcomers, reach & business
- Rising Star Award
- Best Breakout Streamer
- Hidden Gem Award
- Best International Streamer
- Best Brand Partner
- Stream Game of the Year
The spread says a lot about where streaming has gone. Eleven of the thirty-six are tied to a specific game or genre, but the rest are not about games at all — role-play, music, creative arts, reality, IRL, VTubers and vertical live all get their own prize, and there is a Best Brand Partner award sitting alongside them. Best Vertical Live Streamer in particular reads as an acknowledgement that a large share of live content now happens in portrait on a phone.
What Happens After Voting
Winners are decided by public vote once the shortlist is set, which is what has always separated this show from industry-jury awards. Voting closes October 31, leaving twelve days before the broadcast — and the Pick'em prediction contest stays open right up to three hours before the show starts.
For reference on who is defending what: IShowSpeed won Streamer of the Year at the 2025 show, after back-to-back wins for Kai Cenat in 2023 and 2024 and Ludwig Ahgren's inaugural win in 2022. Both are currently up for Streamer of the Year at the Esports Awards as well, and both placed in Rolling Stone's top four most influential creators this month.
If You Only Remember Three Things
- October 2 is the deadline for both applications and public nominations. Nothing else in the schedule is as final as that one.
- Only content from November 8, 2025 onward counts. Check your dates before you write the submission, not after.
- The show is November 12 at 3PM PT. Put it in the calendar now — voting will have closed nearly two weeks earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are The Streamer Awards 2026?
Thursday, November 12, 2026, starting at 3:00 PM PT (6:00 PM ET, 11:00 PM UK). That is a later slot in the year than the show's early editions, which ran in late winter.
How do I apply for The Streamer Awards 2026?
Applications are submitted through thestreamerawards.com, where you log in with your streaming platform account and fill in the form for the categories you are entering. Applications opened on August 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT and close on October 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT.
What is the eligibility window for the 2026 Streamer Awards?
Content has to have happened between November 8, 2025 and October 1, 2026 — the day after the previous show through to the day before applications close. Anything outside that window does not qualify, no matter how well it performed.
What is the difference between applying and being nominated?
Applying is something you do for yourself: you submit your own work to the categories you want to be considered in. Public nominations are separate and open later, from September 12 to October 2, and are where viewers put forward the creators they want to see on the ballot. Both feed the same shortlist process.
When does voting open for The Streamer Awards 2026?
Voting runs from October 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT to October 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT — a two-week window that closes twelve days before the show.
How many categories are there in 2026?
Thirty-six, spanning game-specific awards, format and style awards, group and collaboration awards, and the headline Streamer of the Year and Gamer of the Year prizes.
Who won Streamer of the Year last time?
IShowSpeed took Streamer of the Year at the 2025 show. Before him: Kai Cenat in 2023 and 2024, and Ludwig Ahgren in 2022.
Where can I watch The Streamer Awards 2026?
The show has historically been broadcast live on QTCinderella's Twitch channel, with co-streams across the community. Ticket sales for the in-person event were not open as of the application announcement.