The Challenge is an American reality television show, which was spun off from the reality shows The Real World and Road Rules. Contestants compete against one another individually, in pairs, or in teams to win cash prizes. First airing in 1998, there have been a total of 40 seasons aired in addition to 12 spin-off seasons, and the show has been filmed on six different continents. The Challenge airs on MTV and is hosted by T. J. Lavin.

Contestants on the show are a combination of alumni from seasons of various reality televisions shows, including The Real World, Road Rules, Are You the One?, Big Brother, and Ex on the Beach, contestants who debuted directly on The Challenge, professional athletes, as well as other celebrities. Prior to the twelfth season, Fresh Meat, contestants had only been from The Real World and Road Rules. The 26th season was the first to feature contestants from Are You the One? Since the 31st season, casting has expanded to feature alumni from several reality television shows, including Big Brother, Ex on the Beach, and Geordie Shore. There has also been one contestant who originated from a special mini-series that aired during MTV's Spring Break programming block in 2010, titled Spring Break Challenge. Contestants are regularly brought back for multiple seasons and use their veteran status along with relationships with other returnees to their advantage.

Table key

Seasons 1–10

Season Contestant Original series Finish The Real World: Los Angeles The Real World: San Francisco The Real World: Boston The Real World: New York The Real World: Miami Road Rules: Islands Road Rules: Down Under Road Rules: USA - The First Adventure Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Northern Trail The Real World: Seattle The Real World: Seattle The Real World: Boston The Real World: London The Real World: Boston The Real World: Los Angeles Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: USA - The First Adventure Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Latin America Road Rules: Down Under The Real World: Hawaii The Real World: Seattle The Real World: New York The Real World: Hawaii The Real World: Miami The Real World: London The Real World: Seattle The Real World: New Orleans (2000) The Real World: Boston The Real World: Miami The Real World: New Orleans (2000) The Real World: Boston Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure Road Rules: Down Under Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour † Road Rules: Europe Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Boston The Real World: Boston The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: New Orleans (2000) The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour The Real World: New York The Real World: New York Road Rules: Latin America Road Rules: Latin America The Real World: Miami The Real World: Miami Road Rules: The Quest Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Seattle The Real World: Seattle Road Rules: Europe Road Rules: Europe The Real World: London The Real World: London Road Rules: Down Under Road Rules: Down Under The Real World: Los Angeles The Real World: Los Angeles Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: USA - The First Adventure The Real World: Hawaii The Real World: New Orleans (2000) The Real World: Hawaii Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Back to New York Road Rules: Europe The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: Campus Crawl The Real World: Boston Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure The Real World: New York Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: The Quest Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Boston Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Chicago Road Rules: Down Under Road Rules: Islands The Real World: Chicago The Real World: Miami The Real World: Chicago The Real World: San Francisco Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Hawaii The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: The Quest Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Latin America Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour The Real World: Los Angeles The Real World: Los Angeles The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: The Quest Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour Road Rules: South Pacific The Real World: Seattle The Real World: New York The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) The Real World: Chicago The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Boston The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Chicago The Real World: Boston The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: USA - The Second Adventure Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: The Quest Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: Latin America Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Back to New York The Real World: Paris The Real World: Boston The Real World: Seattle The Real World: Paris The Real World: New Orleans (2000) Road Rules: Campus Crawl The Real World: Paris Road Rules: South Pacific The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) The Real World: Paris The Real World: New York Road Rules: Northern Trail Road Rules: Maximum Velocity Tour The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Back to New York Road Rules: USA - The First Adventure Road Rules: South Pacific The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: Hawaii Road Rules: Campus Crawl The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) The Real World: Chicago The Real World: San Diego (2004) Road Rules: X-Treme The Real World: Las Vegas (2002) Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: X-Treme The Real World: Chicago Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: The Quest The Real World: Back to New York Road Rules: Campus Crawl Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: X-Treme Road Rules: X-Treme The Real World: Miami Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: Semester at Sea The Real World: Paris Road Rules: X-Treme The Real World: Paris The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: Boston Road Rules: Campus Crawl The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: Philadelphia The Real World: Back to New York Road Rules: South Pacific Road Rules: South Pacific The Real World: Chicago Road Rules: X-Treme Road Rules: Semester at Sea Road Rules: Campus Crawl The Real World: Paris The Real World: Philadelphia The Real World: Miami The Real World: New Orleans (2000) The Real World: San Diego (2004) Road Rules: X-Treme The Real World: Philadelphia The Real World: Los Angeles The Real World: San Diego (2004) The Real World: Los Angeles

Seasons 11–20