A new award is coming to the Television Academy: the Legacy Award.
The honor, unveiled Thursday by the TV Academy, will recognize series that have made a “profound and lasting impact” on the medium of television and its audiences. According to the Academy, this will be the first time an “award of this significance” has been added to the Emmys lineup since 2007, when the Television Academy Honors Award (bestowed upon shows that drive positive social change) made its debut.
“The Legacy Award celebrates groundbreaking programming — programs that have stood the test of time delivering stories that continue to engage audiences and featuring iconic and timeless characters with multigenerational appeal,” said Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego via statement. “The award allows the Academy to honor more of television’s rich history and acknowledge the storytellers whose work has resonated with viewers and continues to entertain legions of fans around the globe.”
Criteria for Legacy Award eligibility include: Each show must have aired at least 60 episodes across five or more seasons of television; series can only receive the award once, and franchise properties “must be considered as a whole.” Additionally, the shows must demonstrate “continued or sustained relevance, influence or inspiration” to a genre, audience or the broader culture.
The Governors Awards Committee (now officially renamed the Special Awards Committee) will select the annual recipient of the Legacy Award, presenting said selection to the Board of Governors for a vote. The Academy did not specify where the Legacy Award would be presented each year (or whether it will debut in 2026), though they noted that the award may be given out “during the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies, the Emmy telecast, Televerse or the Hall of Fame ceremony” annually.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards take place on Monday, September 14, 2026, and the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6, 2026.
