How to watch 'Shark Week' 2026 online from anywhere: Full schedule, TV channels
K-Pop, high dives and the return of "Air Jaws," get ready for another shark infested week of TV
Prepare for a jaw-some week of entertainment as “Shark Week” returns for 2026! With 20 blockbuster specials spread across the evenings, there’s something for everyone from K-Pop premieres to nerve jangling high dives, ground-breaking technology to whodunnit investigations. Here's how to watch "Shark Week" 2026 online from anywhere with a VPN.
► U.S. date and time: "Shark Week" begins on Sunday, July 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Full schedule at the bottom of this page.
• U.S. — Watch on Discovery Channel via Sling / HBO Max
• Watch anywhere — try Surfshark 100% risk-free
Among the feeding frenzy of new premieres this year is season opener “K-Pop Shark Heroes,” which sees actor Ken Jeong team up with singer REI AMI to reshape the perception of sharks across Asia via the power of K-Pop, and “Ultimate Shark Dive” in which professional high-diver Molly Carlson aims to complete the highest freefall dive in “Shark Week” history, aiming squarely for a floating plexiglass box, and not the chum-filled, shark-infested waters surrounding it.
Other stand-out episodes include “House of Sharks,” which investigates the “Game of Thrones”-style house structure and power grabs of a group of great whites off New Zealand, the search for a rumoured 15 to 20-foot mako off Southern California in “The Biggest Mako on Earth” and the self explanatory “How to Train a Great White.”
There’s also two special episodes of the "Expedition" franchise with "Expedition X: Atomic Sharks” investigating sharks thriving in the shadow of former nuclear testing sites, and "Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets,” which delves into some of history’s most notorious shark encounters. Also look out for “Chum Island: Catching a Killer,” a “Shark Week” whodunnit in which marine biologist Dr. Riley Elliott aims to catch the culprits behind a series of aggressive shark attacks on a small Australian community.
There’s plenty to sink your teeth into, so read on to find out how to watch “Shark Week” 2026 online from wherever you are.
Watch 'Shark Week' 2026 from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching "Shark Week" 2026 on your usual subscription?
You can still watch the show thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. One of our favorites is Surfshark.
Surfshark One: 7-Day Free Trial
Surfshark is one of our favorite streaming service unblockers, and right now it comes with a 7-day free trial. After that, pay just $2.49/month for the Surfshark One plan, with other plans also available.
Get Surfshark today and stream "Shark Week" from around the world.
How to watch 'Shark Week' in the U.S. without cable
"Shark Week" 2026 is a TV event comprising multiple shows airing across seven days. You can tune in from Sunday, July 26 on the Discovery Channel or Max. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full schedule.
We would recommend a cord-cutter to access the 20 shows on Discovery Channel across the week with Sling, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream among our favorites.
Sling is the one we would recommend:
You can access Discovery Channel on Sling via their Blue Plan. Prices start at $45.99/month with your first month available for half price ($23).
HBO Max prices start at $10.99 per month, and it's one of the best streaming services. You also have the option of paying from $19.99 per month for the Disney Plus bundle, including Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max.
Traveling outside the U.S.? You can always use a VPN — we recommend Surfshark — to watch HBO Max from anywhere on the planet.
How to watch 'Shark Week' in Canada
"Shark Week" 2026 in Canada will air on Discovery and Discovery+ in Canada. Prices start at CA$5.99/month.
U.S. viewer currently traveling in Canada? You can use one of the best VPN services to tune in as you would at home. We recommend Surfshark.
Can I watch 'Shark Week' in the U.K.?
Certain specials from "Shark Week" usually arrive on Discovery+ in the U.K., although Blighty doesn't officially receive the week-long event.
Currently abroad in the U.K. from North America? You can use one of the best VPN services, such as Surfshark, to access your usual streaming service.
Can I watch 'Shark Week' in Australia?
"Shark Week" will go out in Australia on HBO Max from Sunday, August 16. Prices start from AU$11.99/month.
U.S. or Canada viewer in Australia? Make use one of the best VPN services, such as Surfshark, allowing you access to your usual streaming service.
"Shark Week" TV schedule 2026
Sunday, July 26
“K-Pop Shark Heroes” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
After a recent series of shark encounters off the Korean Peninsula, actor and comedian Ken Jeong joins forces with GRAMMY-nominated singer and lifetime shark lover REI AMI on a mission to reshape the perception of sharks across East Asia and around the globe, fueled by the power of K-POP.
“Air Jaws: Red, White and Breach” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
Across the U.S. coastline, a new phenomenon is emerging as great white sharks are captured on film breaching in California like never before. Filmmaker Jeff Kurr, marine biologist Alison Towner, and cinematographer Andy Casagrande set out to capture this unprecedented behavior and uncover the secrets behind the Great American Breach.
“Invasion of the Mega Sharks” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
Shark researcher Dr. Neil Hammerschlag, joined by "Shark Week" expert Paul de Gelder, leads a team on a high-risk mission to track down "Big Rose," a record-breaking great white believed to be one of largest predators in the North Atlantic. Using innovative tagging technology and daring field operations, they venture to a newly discovered shark hotspot off Nova Scotia aiming to transform our understanding of these ocean giants.
Click to see more 👇
Monday, July 27
“Bull Shark Dinner Bell” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
Shark attack survivor and advocate Paul De Gelder teams up with apex predator specialist Rosie Moore in Jupiter, Florida to investigate what triggers giant bull sharks to confront humans, testing human behavior in the ocean, extreme weather events and prey preferences to determine what factors ring the loudest dinner bell.
“House of Sharks” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
Off the coast of New Zealand lies a hidden shark battleground, where three distinct groups of great whites organize into competing “houses” and may be competing with one another to gain control of a major seal feeding ground. Marine biologist Dr. Tristan Guttridge and underwater cinematographer Kina Scollay venture into the middle of the action on an epic expedition, using brand new builds and massive blood bombs to document this new competitive behavior. As they investigate, they uncover the possibility that these clans of great whites recognize kin and return season after season to their ancestral territories, raising the theory that these predators aren’t solitary hunters, but rival dynasties at war.
“Biggest Mako on Earth” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
For decades, rumors have swirled about massive, 15 to 20-foot mako sharks patrolling the deep waters off Southern California. Long dismissed as fishermen’s tales, new footage, along with a recently published photo capturing a mako that appears to push 15 feet, is now forcing scientists to rethink everything they know about these oceanic apex predators. Marine biologist Tristan Guttridge, alongside conservationist Kendyl Berna and shark tagger Keith Poe, leads an investigation to determine whether the world’s biggest mako is real - and hunting in the coastal waters of Santa Catalina.
Tuesday, July 28
“Jurassic Sharks” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
In a "Shark Week" first, revolutionary CGI resurrects the ocean’s most bizarre Jurassic sharks, bringing them to life like never before. Guided by the rare living sharks that once shared their seas, real-world expeditions seamlessly merge with cutting-edge visual effects to uncover stories from the deep and prehistoric seas in ways never before possible.
“Jaws vs Orca” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
For millennia, the great white shark has reigned as the ocean's ultimate apex predator. But now, a new challenger is emerging: the killer whale. Around the world, sharks are washing ashore with their livers removed with chilling precision while in the Strait of Gibraltar, orcas are targeting sailboats - ramming hulls, crippling rudders, and sinking vessels. To investigate this alarming shift in behavior, Dr. Tristan Guttridge places himself directly in the path of an orca encounter, using their attacks on boats to reveal how these predators hunt and ultimately, how they may be taking down great white sharks.
“Chum Island: Catching a Killer” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
In this "Shark Week" whodunnit, a rare surge of highly aggressive shark attacks hit a tight-knit community off Australia’s southern coast, prompting marine biologist Dr. Riley Elliott to find and tag the oceanic suspects. But when he discovers this could be a new, elusive population of sharks, he builds the world’s first “chum island” to lure them in and uncover if they are the ones responsible for the attacks.
Wednesday, July 29
“Expedition X: Atomic Sharks” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
Phil Torres and Heather Amaro travel 5,000 miles west of the U.S. to the remote Marshall Islands, home to the world's largest shark sanctuary, where apex predators are exhibiting highly aggressive behaviors and erratic swimming patterns. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States military detonated 67 nuclear bombs around the island, raising questions about their lasting impact on marine life. Now, the team dives into these dangerous waters to investigate reports of “mutant” sharks and uncover whether atomic blasts could be to blame.
“Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
Global explorer Josh Gates travels back in time and dives into the history behind some of the world’s most infamous shark encounters, from the earliest known shark attack to the mystery surrounding the shark feeding frenzy faced by sailors following the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in remote waters. He also investigates the legendary “Stronsay Beast,” a mysterious creature that washed ashore in Scotland in 1808, long thought to be a sea monster. But could it in fact be the remains of a massive shark?
“Alien Sharks: Untamed America” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, wildlife biologist Forrest Galante embarks on a nationwide quest to find the nation’s most bizarre and dangerous alien sharks – from glowing swell sharks to elusive sawfish – proving the ultimate shark adventure is right here at home.
Thursday, July 30
“What Shark Attacked?” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
Shark attacks are extremely rare, but when they happen, the first question is always the same: what kind of shark was it? Leading shark scientists Tom “Blowfish” Hird and Rosie Moore, alongside conservationist Kinga Phillips, investigate mysterious attacks from around the world using cutting-edge forensic analysis - including bite pattern comparison, geographic profiling, video evidence, and eyewitness testimony – to identify the species responsible and uncover why these life-threatening encounters occur.
“How to Train a Great White” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
Marine biologist Dr. Tristan Guttridge ventures into the shark-infested waters of New Zealand to answer a provocative question: can sharks be trained? Using techniques pioneered by the U.S. Navy to train dolphins in complex cognitive tasks, the team applies similar methods to great white sharks, testing whether these apex predators can learn, solve problems, and respond to cues. If successful, the experiment can potentially redefine shark intelligence and transform our understanding of one of the ocean’s most misunderstood predators.
“Ultimate Shark Dive” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
World-class Red Bull high diver Molly Carlson leaps from a helicopter hovering above the open ocean in a bid to complete the highest freefall dive in Shark Week history, targeting a narrow plexiglass cage surrounded by circling reef sharks, or risking a direct plunge into a chum-filled feeding frenzy where seconds mean survival. From concept to execution, this fearless athlete will push herself to the limit with a record-setting stunt that no high diver has ever attempted.
Friday, July 31
“Secrets of the Great White Kill” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
For centuries, great whites were believed to simply stalk their prey. Now, groundbreaking science believes that these alpha sharks are highly intelligent predators that adapt their hunting techniques in real time. For the first time on Shark Week, the full range of great white hunting tactics will be revealed, reinforcing their status as one of the ocean’s top predator.
“Sharkzilla Takes New York” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
After a wave of mauled marine life washes ashore in New York, conservation biologist Dr. Craig O'Connell launches an investigation to find the culprit. When it leads to an old nuclear dumping ground teaming with great whites and makos, he is left with the chilling theory that the predator may be radioactive. A deeper dive reveals an unexpected hotspot for massive makos off the coast of the Hamptons, suggesting that these waters may be hiding something even bigger beneath the surface.
“My Strange Shark Addiction” | 10 p.m. ET/PT
How far will people go to fuel their fascination with sharks? For four devoted shark “fin-atics,” their obsession shapes every aspect of their lives. From a dentist who spends every spare moment searching for life-size shark replicas that overwhelm his home to a woman who insists she has a special connection with her shark “boyfriend,” and a world-record holder covered in shark tattoos, this special explores how their daily routines, relationships, and finances revolve entirely around the apex predators they can't live without.
Saturday, August 1
“Great White Highway” | 8 p.m. ET/PT
Great white sharks are pushing farther up the East coast than ever before and in far greater numbers leading to close encounters, forcing beach closures, and leaving locals wondering where the next attack could happen. Now, a daring team of shark scientists race to install high-tech receivers and tag as many great whites as possible before another harrowing incident rocks the country.
“Thresher Shark: Stun to Kill” | 9 p.m. ET/PT
The physics behind the thresher shark’s devastating tail strike has long remained a mystery…until now. For the first time ever, the discovery of a shallow-water feeding ground has made observing this behavior possible. Now, shark scientist Dr. Craig O’Connell and marine biologist Aliah Banchik dive into the direct line of fire as they attempt to reveal exactly how these predators use their tails to stun and kill.
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Tom is a freelance writer, predominantly focusing on film and TV. A graduate of Film Studies at University of South Wales, if he's not diving in to the Collector's Edition Blu Ray of an obscure 80s horror, you'll find him getting lost with his dog or mucking about in the water with his board.
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