Lainey Wilson Will Host the 60th CMA Awards

Lainey Wilson is returning to lead Country Music’s Biggest Night. The country star will host the 60th annual CMA Awards live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 18, marking her third consecutive year in the role and her second straight turn as the show’s solo host.

A historic second solo appearance

Wilson first joined the CMA Awards hosting team in 2024, sharing duties with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. She took the stage alone in 2025 and will now become the first woman to solo-host the ceremony twice, according to Billboard. Dolly Parton became the first woman to host the event by herself in 1988.

The assignment places Wilson at the center of a milestone broadcast. This year’s show celebrates six decades of the Country Music Association’s annual awards, giving the ceremony an anniversary theme alongside its usual performances and trophy presentations.

Wilson announced her return during ESPN’s College GameDay, which was broadcasting from Louisiana State University in her home state. In a statement carried by Billboard and Rolling Stone, she said the 60th anniversary would make this year’s hosting job especially meaningful.

From award winner to the face of the show

The choice reflects Wilson’s rapid rise within the CMA world. She has collected 12 CMA Awards in three years, including Entertainer of the Year in 2025. That record gives her more than a presenter’s connection to the room: she has become one of the organization’s defining artists of the current era.

The nominations are scheduled to be announced September 10, beginning on ABC’s Good Morning America before a livestream on the CMA’s official YouTube channel. Tickets are also set to go on sale in September, ahead of the Nashville ceremony.

ABC and Disney+ will carry the November 18 broadcast, with Hulu offering it the following day. For Wilson, the evening will combine live television, anniversary expectations and the task of keeping a major awards show moving—another sign that her role in country music now extends well beyond her own performances.