Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025: Start Time, Where to Watch, and Joey Chestnut’s Return

Every Independence Day, thousands of fans turn their attention to Coney Island, where Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest serves up the most jaw-dropping display of competitive eating. This year, the 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is even more highly anticipated, and for good reason: Joey Chestnut is back. After being sidelined from last year’s competition due to a controversial sponsorship conflict, the king of competitive eating is stepping back onto the stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025, from start time and where to watch, to who’s competing, and what kind of records could be broken.

🍚 What Time Is Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025?

• Date: Thursday, July 4, 2025
• Women’s Contest Start Time: 10:45 AM ET
• Men’s Contest Start Time: 12:00 PM Noon ET

Both events will take place live at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York.

📹 Where to Watch the Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025

For those who can’t make it to Coney Island, you can still watch every bite live:

TV Channel: ESPN2 (with full coverage of both contests)

Streaming: ESPN+ and the ESPN app

Replay Available: YouTube and Hulu Live TV later in the day

Pro tip: Get online early. Streaming traffic is expected to be massive this year due to Joey Chestnut’s return.

Joey Chestnut’s Comeback: Can He Reclaim the Throne? 🥗

Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion, holds the world record: 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes (set in 2021). Last year’s absence stirred controversy and sparked questions about the contest’s legitimacy.

Now at 41, Chestnut returns after a deal was reached allowing him to compete despite his previous endorsement deal conflict. He enters as the clear favourite, but don’t count out rising names like Geoffrey Esper and Patrick Bertoletti, who took last year’s crown in Chestnut’s absence.

Will Chestnut reclaim his mustard yellow belt? Or will the new generation of eaters rise to the occasion?

🥚 Records, Rivals, and Rising Stars

Patrick Bertoletti: Last year’s men’s winner with 58 hot dogs

Miki Sudo: The reigning queen of competitive eating, going for her 10th women’s title.

Geoffrey Esper: Always consistent, always dangerous.

The men's and women's divisions are heating up with record chasers. Some believe that 2025 might be the year someone pushes beyond the 80-dog threshold.

🔥 What Makes This Year’s Contest So Special?

• Joey Chestnut’s return after being banned in 2024
• 50th anniversary of the Nathan’s contest
• Record crowd expected at Coney Island
• Global attention with over 100 countries streaming the contest

From family BBQs to packed sports bars, people across the U.S. and beyond will be tuning in to watch grown adults test the limits of the human digestive system.

Final Bite: Why This Year Might Break the Internet🚀

With Joey Chestnut’s comeback, ESPN live coverage, and a historic milestone year, Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025 isn’t just a quirky American tradition, it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest live events of the summer.

Whether you’re watching for the jaw-dropping speed, the drama of the competition, or the pure chaos of it all, one thing is certain: you won’t want to miss this.

So grab your buns, fire up the stream, and get ready to watch history—one hot dog at a time.

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