Modern Warfare 4 COD NEXT Start Times, Rewards, and Where to Watch

Call of Duty has announced their COD NEXT Event for an exhilarating worldwide gameplay showcase of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4! For those unfamiliar, COD NEXT is an event where the next COD entry is shown off by streamers from across the globe. Not only are you able to watch exciting gameplay of the new Modern Warfare game by your favorite streamers, but you can also earn rewards for doing so! Today we’re going to go over COD NEXT, the start times, where you can watch it, & even the reward you can earn to use in MW4. Here’s what you need to know:

COD NEXT Changing Formats This Year?

Based on the COD NEXT announcement, they claim there will be more streamers than ever for this event, streaming from across the globe. With how the wording sounds, it may be a remote event as opposed to it being held at a venue like it usually is. In what could be a change of format going forward, it seems the event will be remotely hosted.

Where to Watch COD NEXT

For those wondering where they can watch COD NEXT 2026 for Modern Warfare 4, you’ll be able to view it from Call of Duty’s YouTube Channel on August 21st. It’s unclear if it will also be available on their Twitch channel, but we’ll be sure to update this article if it is.

COD NEXT Start Times

COD NEXT is slated to begin on August 21st, & as stated before, will be hosted on Call of Duty’s YouTube Channel. The start times for COD NEXT are as follows:

11:00 AM CST
9:00 AM PST
12:00 PM EST

These are the times when you should expect to see the main Call of Duty YouTube channel go live. Most streamers will also begin to go live around this time, even if not a little bit before!

What to Expect at COD NEXT 2026

Players will of course be seeing gameplay of the new entry, Modern Warfare 4. You’ll be seeing gameplay of Multiplayer, likely the new iteration of Warzone, as well as the returning PVPVE Mode, DMZ! We’ll also get a deeper dive into the systems of MW4, like weapons & operator customizations, weapon class build systems, movement systems, & much much more.

We’ll also be seeing gameplay of the newest multiplayer maps & modes, as well as a full look at our new Operators roster. There will also be a look at all the new weapons coming in Modern Warfare 4. To top things off, there will be multiple Developer Insights about MW4.

All Rewards for COD NEXT 2026

For those tuning into COD NEXT, you can earn a variety of reward just for watching for certain periods of time. These rewards are usually smaller in-game cosmetics, but also include a FREE Beta Code. You’ll want to ensure your Activision & YouTube accounts are linked to earn these rewards.

These are the likely reward that will be available this year, if they go based on last year’s NEXT Event:

COD NEXT Calling Card
COD NEXT Emblem
MW4 Weapon Charm
MW4 Early Access Beta Code

You’ll just need to watch the stream for a specific amount of time. Once the amount of time is announced, as well as the official rewards, we’ll be sure to update you here!