Los Angeles, CA (July 27, 2026) – Today, the International Dance League (IDL) and ESPN announced a global rights agreement for the 2026 Season. The series events will be presented in the U.S bi-weekly on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET starting on July 28, 2026. The agreement underscores the growing global appetite for dance as a competitive sport and positions IDL for expanded visibility among mainstream sports audiences.

The first event of the 2026 Season, the New York Series at Hammerstein Ballroom, airs on July 28 on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. with three additional events rolling out over the summer, concluding at the end of August. IDL is building the pipeline for the next generation of global dance stars and emerging talent on a global stage. 

Since its May 2026 season opener, IDL has generated more than 650M views and impressions, highlighting the league’s rapid global growth. With three sold-out events in New York, Vancouver, and Sydney already completed, IDL enters the second half of the season with teams preparing for the final regular season events and championship finale.

“Dance already has one of the most passionate fanbases in the world.” said Connor Lim, CEO and Co-founder of IDL. “They watch, they share, they show up, and the engagement on social proves that. This agreement provides a chance to show a broader sports audience that dance is both an art form and a legitimate sport, on a global scale."

IDL is the first global professional dance league, structured as a traditional sports league with teams, a regular season, and a championship format on the global stage. It features six elite teams from around the world, competing across multiple events for a season title featuring Brotherhood (Vancouver, Canada), Quick Style (Oslo, Norway), Jam Republic (Singapore), GRV (Los Angeles, USA), Royal Family (Auckland, New Zealand) and 1MILLION (Seoul, South Korea). The format aims to turn dance into a sustainable career pathway with contracts, global fanbases, and high-production, multi-city competition. 

IDL Schedule on ESPN

All dates, times, and markets are subject to change. All events begin at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. 

Episode 1 — NYC: July 28 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Episode 2 — Vancouver: August 10 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Episode 3 — Sydney: August 17 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Episode 4 — Seoul: August 27 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Coverage will also be available on ESPN and Disney+ internationally in Australia/New Zealand, the Caribbean and Mexico. Additionally, Disney+ subscribers in Brazil, South America, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong will be able to stream the events.

For updates on IDL, schedule and exclusive content visit https://www.idl.pro/.