Did You Spot Gwen Stefani’s Kids Cheering Blake Shelton on at the 2026 ACM Awards?

Even if you were glued to the TV all night, you might be forgiven for missing the blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearances from Gwen Stefani's sons, Zuma and Apollo, at the 2026 ACM Awards.

They were there to cheer on Blake Shelton, who performed Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" at the end of the show in tribute to songwriter Don Schlitz. Schlitz died in April at age 73.

Zuma and Apollo didn't walk the carpet or hop up onstage. But even though they kept a low profile, a few eagle-eyed fans spotted them in the audience.

Gwen Stefani's Kids Attend the 2026 ACM Awards

E! News reported that Zuma and Apollo were in the crowd.

If you look really closely, you can also see them dancing and clapping along behind Jordan Davis in a performance shot of the show.

Another photo in the same social media post shows Shelton sharing a hug with Apollo at the ceremony.

Who Are Gwen Stefani's Children?

Gwen Stefani shares three sons with her ex-husband, Gavin Rossdale. Since she and Shelton married in 2021, he's embraced stepdad duty with open arms.

READ MORE: Blake Shelton Explains How Becoming a Stepdad Changed Him

Stefani's oldest son, 19-year-old Kingston, wasn't pictured at the ACMs. But his two younger brothers, 17-year-old Zuma and 12-year-old Apollo, were rocking out with Shelton at the awards show.

READ MORE: Gwen Stefani's Son Is a Budding Country Singer!

Both Kingston and Zuma are musically inclined and have performed at the Oklahoma location of Shelton's Ole Red bar.

In particular, Zuma is showing an interest in singing country music like his stepdad. Last summer, he impressed the crowd with a rendition of John Michael Montgomery's "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)."

Why Wasn't Gwen Stefani at the 2026 ACM Awards?

Gwen Stefani was likely busy with commitments related to her current Las Vegas residency with her band, No Doubt.

Stefani didn't have a concert booked for the ACMs night itself (May 17), but she did play back-to-back shows the two nights prior. She could have been in rehearsals or taking a break before the residency picks back up again on Thursday (May 21).

Shelton and Stefani have been missing each other due to scheduling commitments a fair bit recently, even though they're both in the same city.

Shelton missed opening night of No Doubt's residency because he was booked playing a different Las Vegas residency of his own.

READ MORE: Why Blake Shelton Missed Gwen Stefani's Opening Night at The Sphere

"What kind of d--khead books us the exact same nights every single night?" Shelton joked from the stage during that show, which took place in early May.

"I think my manager did that. He's here, isn't he? Sorry, Narvel."