Australian Open final: How to watch, date, time, live stream and TV channel for Carlos Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic

An Australian Open final of titanic proportions graces our screens on Sunday, when top seed Carlos Alcaraz and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic slog it out in the 2026 men's singles championship match.

Both title hopefuls emerged triumphant in epic five-set semi-finals to reach the showpiece, as Alcaraz overcame bouts of cramp to eliminate Alexander Zverev, while Djokovic defied the odds to end Jannik Sinner's reign as the king of Melbourne.

Here, Sports Mole provides all the information you need to know about how to tune into the event.

What time does the Australian Open final begin?

The 2026 Australian Open final is scheduled to start at 8.30am in the UK, by which time it will already be 7.30pm in Melbourne.

The contest will certainly go on for at least a couple of hours - providing neither man retires through injury - and could even last until 1pm UK time or later if the match goes to five sets.

Where is the Australian Open final being played?

Alcaraz and Djokovic will battle for stardom at the Rod Laver Arena, the main stage of Melbourne Park named after legendary Rod Laver, an 11-time Grand Slam singles champion from Australia.

The ground holds just under 15,000 spectators and has also hosted basketball matches, gymnastics competitions, esports events and music concerts.

How to watch the Australian Open final in the UK

TV channels

The 2026 men's Australian Open final will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 for viewers in the UK.

TNT Sports 1 can be found on channel 413 for customers on Sky, 521 for Virgin Media subscribers and 408 for viewers on EE TV/BT.

Online streaming

Sky customers with the TNT Sports add-on can watch the match on Sky Go, and similarly for Virgin subscribers on Virgin TV Go.

Alternatively, fans can watch the match online via discovery+, which costs £30.99 per month. 

Highlights

Highlights of the final will be available to view online, either on the TNT Sports website or YouTube channel.

The broadcaster and official Australian Open account will also post the best bits of the action on X - formerly known as Twitter - as and when they happen.

What is at stake for Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic?

It would be easier to answer what is not at stake between these two colossal competitors, who have already been re-writing the record books during their run to Sunday's final.

Alcaraz triumphed in the longest Australian Open semi-final in history to reach his first Melbourne showpiece, where he will endeavour to complete the career Grand Slam after collecting honours at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros and New York.

Still only 22 years old, the Spaniard - who has already won six major titles - would be the youngest man in history to clinch all four Grand Slam titles should he succeed, breaking the record held by Don Budge since 1938.

At the other end of the experience scale, Djokovic has chased the unprecedented 25th major in vain ever since his 2023 US Open triumph, but the Serbian superstar is potentially now just three sets away from standing in a Grand Slam league of his own.

The 38-year-old's epic victory over Sinner also made him the oldest AO finalist in history, and he could now also become the oldest Grand Slam men's singles winner in the Open Era, surpassing a 37-year-old Ken Rosewall at the 1972 Australian Open.

Djokovic also comes into the match with a 5-4 head-to-head lead over Alcaraz, but the latter won their most recent showdown at last year's US Open, prevailing in three sets in the semi-finals.