QTCinderella kicks off Streamer Awards 2026 with applications now open: Here’s what you need to know

QTCinderella has officially kicked off the 2026 edition of The Streamer Awards, giving creators another chance to be recognized for their work throughout the year. The annual event, often called the “Oscars for streamers,” brings together creators and fans to celebrate the biggest names and rising stars in streaming. This year, creators do not have to wait for fans to nominate them, as they can apply directly for award categories. Applications are now open, while community nominations and voting will follow in the coming weeks.QTCinderella opens Streamer Awards 2026 applications for creatorsApplications for the 2026 Streamer Awards are now open and will remain available until October 2, 2026. This year brings an important change to how creators can enter the awards.For the first time, any creator can apply directly for consideration instead of depending only on community nominations. Creators can sign in using their Twitch account, choose the categories they want to enter and provide clips showing why they deserve consideration.Agencies can also submit their creator rosters for consideration.The awards cover many parts of the streaming world, including:Best Variety StreamerBest VTuberBest FPS StreamerBest Fighting Games StreamerBest MOBA StreamerBest Music StreamerBest Creative Arts StreamerBest Role-Play StreamerBest Brand PartnerHidden Gem AwardBest Cozy Game StreamerBest Cozy Game Streamer is a new category for this year's awards.Streamer Awards 2026 community nominations and voting dates revealedCreator applications are only the beginning of the 2026 awards process. Community nominations will open on September 12 and continue until October 2, giving fans a chance to put forward their favorite creators.Once nominations are complete, the community's top choices will make up most of the nominees in each category. An industry panel will then add one additional nominee to each category.Fans will later get another chance to have their say during the official voting period, which runs from October 16 through October 31.The final winners will be decided using a combination of community and industry votes:70% community vote30% industry panel voteThe ceremony itself is scheduled for November 12, 2026. The red carpet will begin at 2:30 PM PT, followed by the main show at 5:30 PM PT. The event will be streamed live on Twitch and YouTube.With applications now open, the race for the 2026 Streamer Awards has officially begun. Creators can submit themselves for consideration, while fans will soon be able to nominate the streamers they believe deserve recognition. With new categories, direct creator applications and community voting, this year's awards could bring several new faces into the spotlight.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.