If you want to watch the US midterms in the UK or Europe, plan for a late night. Polls start closing at 11 p.m. GMT (midnight in Paris and Berlin) on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the big House and Senate calls often land after 2 a.m. UK time. The simplest official options are CNN’s new All Access subscription in the UK, CNN International on pay TV across Europe, and the overnight coverage UK broadcasters typically run on BBC iPlayer and Sky News.
Here’s what to watch, when, and what it costs, as of October 2026. If you’re in the US, see our network-by-network guide to watching the midterm election results live instead.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- Election day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026; polls start closing at 11 p.m. GMT (midnight CET).
- Major House and Senate calls often land after 2 a.m. UK time.
- Official options in Europe include CNN All Access in the UK, CNN International on pay TV, and UK broadcasters’ overnight coverage.
Election night in UK and European time
The clocks help this year. The UK and EU switch back from summer time on October 25, and the US follows on November 1. On election night, New York is five hours behind London and six behind Central Europe.
If you want to watch the US midterms in the UK, plan around the time difference first: most polls close in the early hours of the morning, UK time.
| Moment | US Eastern | UK and Ireland (GMT) | Central Europe (CET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBC News coverage begins | 5 p.m. | 10 p.m. | 11 p.m. |
| Fox News coverage begins; first polls close | 6 p.m. | 11 p.m. | Midnight |
| Most East Coast polls closed | 7–8 p.m. | Midnight–1 a.m. | 1–2 a.m. |
| West Coast polls close | 11 p.m. | 4 a.m. | 5 a.m. |
| Last polls in Alaska close | 1 a.m. (Nov. 4) | 6 a.m. | 7 a.m. |
A practical approach: watch the first hour or two, go to bed, and catch the results with breakfast news. Control of the House or Senate may not be clear by morning if races are close.
Option 1: CNN All Access (UK)
This is the newest option. CNN launched its All Access subscription in the UK and Canada on October 20, 2026, and CNN is promoting its US midterm coverage as part of the package.
For most people who want to watch the US midterms in the UK without a TV package, a streaming subscription is the simplest route.
- Price in the UK: £4.99 a month or £49.99 a year. A first-year welcome offer is £37.99.
- What’s included: a selection of live channels from CNN International and CNN’s US output, on-demand video, CNN Original Series and Films, and unlimited CNN.com articles.
- Where: the web, plus selected mobile and connected TV apps.
- Existing customers: UK subscribers to the older CNN Live plan are being upgraded to All Access.
All Access is not yet sold in EU countries. CNN says more international markets will follow over the coming year. Full details are in our CNN live stream guide.
Option 2: CNN International on pay TV
Across Europe, CNN International is part of many satellite, cable and IPTV packages, including Sky in the UK. If you already pay for TV, check your channel list first; you may not need anything new.
Pay-TV packages are another way to watch the US midterms in the UK and across Europe, if CNN International is already in your bundle.
Option 3: UK broadcasters
UK channels have a track record of staying up for American elections. In 2024, the BBC ran results coverage through the night on TV and BBC iPlayer, and Sky News broadcast its “America Votes” programme from its Washington studio. ITV and Channel 4 also ran results specials, both with links to CNN coverage.
It is worth checking UK broadcasters’ schedules if you want to watch the US midterms in the UK without paying anything extra.
That was a presidential year, though. When we checked on October 24, UK broadcasters had not published full 2026 midterm plans, and midterm nights often get shorter programmes. Check the BBC News channel listings and Sky News closer to the day. Our guides to watching BBC News live and Sky News cover the free ways to stream both in the UK.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
How to watch the US midterms in the UK: quick checklist
- In the UK: start with the BBC (on TV or iPlayer, which needs a TV licence) or Sky News, which streams free. For the American networks’ own coverage, CNN All Access is the main standalone option.
- In the EU: check whether your TV package includes CNN International. European channels such as DW News, France 24 and Euronews also cover US results as part of their regular news.
- On a phone: keep a live results page open from a major outlet, such as a network’s election hub, to follow race calls as they happen.
- Use official streams only. If a US network’s live stream won’t play in your country, that’s a rights restriction. We don’t recommend VPNs or other workarounds.
Fox News also sells FOX News International, a separate subscription app, in selected countries. Our Fox News live guide explains it. For a country-by-country rundown, see how to watch US news channels abroad, and for European outlets that broadcast in English, our guide to European news channels in English. More guides like this are in our Watch Abroad section.
See also: every state’s poll closing time in GMT and CET.
Frequently asked questions
What time are the US midterm results in the UK?
The first polls close at 11 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, November 3. Most major race calls come between about 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. UK time on Wednesday, November 4.
Can I watch CNN’s midterm coverage in the UK?
Yes. CNN All Access launched in the UK on October 20, 2026, for £4.99 a month or £49.99 a year. CNN International is also on many UK pay TV packages.
Can I watch US election coverage in Germany or France?
CNN All Access isn’t sold in the EU yet. The usual route is CNN International on pay TV, or the coverage on European news channels such as DW News and France 24.
Sources
- CNN Press Room: All Access launches in the UK and Canada on October 20 (October 13, 2026)
- Broadband TV News: CNN All Access to launch in UK and Canada (October 13, 2026)
- NBC News press release: Decision ’26 election night schedule (October 22, 2026)
- FOX News Media: 2026 midterm coverage plans (PR Newswire)
- LondonWorld: How UK broadcasters covered the 2024 US election night
