The Amazing Race 39 is the thirty-ninth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it features thirteen teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world to win US$1,000,000. Filming took place from September 22 to October 17, 2025. This season visited five continents and nine countries, traveling approximately during twelve legs. Starting in Vancouver, racers traveled through Canada, Spain, Morocco, Albania, Sri Lanka, Laos, Australia, and New Zealand, before returning to the United States and finishing in Honolulu. New elements introduced this season include every team receiving an Express Pass at the start of the race. The season premiered on CBS on September 30, 2026.
Format
The Amazing Race is a reality television show created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, and hosted by Phil Keoghan. The series follows teams of two competing in a race around the world. Each leg of the race requires teams to deduce clues, navigate foreign environments, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel on a limited budget provided by the show. At each stop during the leg, teams receive clues inside sealed envelopes, which fall into one of these categories: Route Info: These are simple instructions that teams must follow before they can receive their next clue. Detour: A Detour is a choice between two tasks. Teams may choose either task and switch tasks if they find one option too difficult. There is usually one Detour present on each leg. Roadblock: A Roadblock is a task that only one team member can complete. Teams must choose which member will complete the task based on a brief clue they receive before fully learning the details of the task. There is usually one Roadblock present on each leg. U-Turn: The U-Turn allows teams to force another team to complete both options of the Detour before they can continue the race. Most teams who arrive last at the Pit Stop of each leg are progressively eliminated, while the first team to arrive at the finish line in the final episode wins the grand prize of US$1,000,000.
Production Development and filming
The teams went into sequester in Los Angeles on September 17, 2025. Filming for this season began on September 22 in Vancouver, Canada. In a new twist during this leg, each team was given an Express Pass that they could use through the sixth leg of the race, provided no two passes are used on the same challenge. The third leg debuted a new advantage called Roadside Assistance. A leg was filmed in Vang Vieng, Laos, on October 11. Keoghan and production crews were sighted filming in Melbourne, Australia, on October 13. The teams then arrived in Melbourne on the following day. The teams left Melbourne on October 15 with the following leg taking place in Christchurch, New Zealand, on October 16. This marks the show's first visit to Oceania since season 22 as well as the first visit to Africa since season 31. The final leg was filmed on October 17 in Honolulu. This season also marks the first time that the show filmed in Albania and the first time that the show did not film within the contiguous United States.
When asked about this season in an interview with Parade following the season 38 finale, Keoghan stated "They say 'luck is the residue of design', and Season 39 is a perfect example of that. Captivating cast, some new twists which gave us the desired results of changing things up, great weather in destinations where it really made a difference, some unpredictable challenge moments and a special episode I took particular interest in ended with a special personal moment in my life."
Casting Casting for this season began on January 13, 2025, and closed on May 2, 2025. This season was the first since season 33 to not feature the mandatory 50% BIPOC casting diversity initiative that began in late 2020 following the decision by CBS to rollback its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in April 2025. Despite the change, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum stated, "Well, from my perspective, nothing's changed. I've always, in the back of my mind, felt we needed more diversity on these shows...I'm still shooting for having a really diverse cast because I think everybody needs to be represented."
Cast
The cast was officially announced on August 12, 2026.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus30BrothersDallas, Texas Eliminated 1st(in Vancouver, Canada)2726Sisters Murray, Kentucky Eliminated 2nd(in Madrid, Spain)20 42 Pro athletes, momsMontclair, New JerseyParticipating 44 Silver Spring, Maryland 56 Mother and daughter Carmel, IndianaParticipating 29 San Diego, California 58 Father and daughter Houston, TexasParticipating 25 35 Siblings Los Angeles, CaliforniaParticipating 33Tinley Park, Illinois27Childhood friends Loomis, CaliforniaParticipating27 Rocklin, California52Sisters, best friends Chicago, IllinoisParticipating5128Dating Flat Rock, AlabamaParticipating27 Jacksonville, Alabama73Grandfather and grandsonSan Diego, CaliforniaParticipating1928MarriedFort Lauderdale, FloridaParticipating3044Best friends, momsBranford, ConnecticutParticipating44Larchmont, New York31Married parentsRutherford, New JerseyParticipating36
Release Broadcast On January 22, 2026, CBS announced that the season would air in the 2026–27 television season. On April 11, CBS announced that the season would air in the fall of 2026 in the Wednesday 9:30 pm time slot following Survivor 51. On July 15, Entertainment Tonight revealed that the season's premiere date would be September 30, 2026. This premiere date was reiterated when CBS revealed its fall premieres on July 27 with the second episode airing on October 1 following the finale of Big Brother 28 before returning to its usual Wednesday slot. On September 29, the day before the season's premiere, Entertainment Tonight aired a special titled The Amazing Race: 25 Years Around the World.
Marketing As part of the promotion for this season, CBS invited influencers to perform the tasks from the first leg. The influencers included Addison Briann, Asante Madrigal, Hannah Kosh, and Markell Washington. Nischelle Turner also participated in the Roadblock from the first leg in a segment for Entertainment Tonight. Phil Keoghan made an appearance at the Minnesota State Fair in September 2026. Air New Zealand served as marketing partner during the season's visit to Christchurch and created a competition for American and Canadian viewers to win a trip for two to Christchurch.
Results The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. A indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks. A indicates that the team used Roadside Assistance during a Roadblock. +Team placement (by leg)Team123456789101112Ali & Joanna10th1st Michelle & Matt3rd2nd Cody & Jaime11th3rd Ann-Marie & Riley7th4th Jody & Jenn8th5th Daisha & Dalton12th6th Erin & Javi1st7th Anuar & Andrea6th8th Conner & Garrett2nd9th Doug & Dylan4th10th Dafina & Saran9th11th Katie & Charlotte5thZach & Nate
Race summary
Leg 1 (Canada)
Episode 1: "Sorry Guys, We Used Our Express Pass" (September 30, 2026) Prize: Cashback rewards for a trip for two to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey (awarded to Erin & Javi) Eliminated: Zach & Nate Locations Vancouver, Canada (Jack Poole Plaza) (Starting Line) Vancouver (BC Place) Vancouver (Plaza of Nations → Vancouver Maritime Museum) Vancouver (Elsje Point Teatotaler Beach & False Creek) Vancouver (VanDusen Botanical Garden)
Episode summary Teams began the race at Jack Poole Plaza, where each team received an Express Pass that they could use up through the sixth leg. Once a team redeemed an Express Pass at a task, no other team could use their Express Pass at that task. From the starting line, teams had to find their next clue outside BC Place. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to don grizzly bear claws and climb up into BC Place's catwalk. Racers then had to jump from a height of 200 feet on a bungee swing and grab a Pacific salmon to receive their next clue. Erin & Javi used their Express Pass to bypass this task. After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by Aquabus water taxi to the Vancouver Maritime Museum and find their next clue outside of the museum. This season's first Detour was a choice between Run It Up or Paddle It Out. In Run It Up, teams had to memorize the single-flag signals of 25 maritime flags and find a boat on a nearby dock, where the captain would randomly shout five signals and teams had to raise the correct flags within two minutes to receive their next clue. Dafina & Saran used their Express Pass to bypass this task. In Paddle It Out, teams had to paddle a va'a outrigger canoe along False Creek to one of six buoys with their next clue. Dylan & Doug used their Express Pass to bypass this task. After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Additional notes Before the race began, teams experienced a welcoming ceremony at the starting line by representatives of the Squamish Nation. Squamish hereditary chief Ian Campbell appeared as the Pit Stop greeter during this leg.
Leg 2 (Canada → Spain)
Episode 2: "Are Tomatoes Good for Skin Care?" (October 1, 2026) Prize: Cashback rewards for a trip for two to Hobart, Australia (awarded to Ali & Joanna) Eliminated: Katie & Charlotte Locations
Richmond (Aberdeen Centre – Silkway Travel) Vancouver (Vancouver International Airport) → Madrid, Spain (Madrid–Barajas Airport) Madrid (Aeropuerto T1-T2-T3 Metro Station → Batán Metro Station) Madrid (Plaza de Toros El Batán) Madrid (Puerta del Sol) Madrid (Extrem Puro Extremadura & Perro Paco Restaurant Museo del Prado) Madrid (Plaza de España)
Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Madrid, Spain, with teams required to book their plane tickets at Silkway Travel. Once there, teams had to travel by Madrid Metro to Plaza de Toros El Batán to find their next clue. In this leg's Roadblock, which was a Switchback from season 10, one team member had to participate in a La Tomatina festival and search through a pile of tomatoes for one with a miniature clue – a capsule containing an image of Puerta del Sol – inside it while locals pelted them with tomatoes. Daisha & Dalton used their Express Pass to bypass this task. After the Roadblock, teams had to find their next clue at Puerta del Sol. This leg's Detour was a choice between Slice of Ham or Slice of History. In Slice of Ham, teams had to deliver a jamón ibérico to a restaurant, where they had to properly slice 50 grams of ham and prepare a charcuterie board to receive their next clue. Cody & Jaime used their Express Pass to bypass this task. In Slice of History, teams had to find 12 Spanish historical impersonators, who would each say a fact about themselves but not their names, and then match portraits to their names to receive their next clue. Jody & Jenn used their Express Pass to bypass this task. After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Plaza de España.
Leg 3 (Spain → Morocco)
Episode 3: "This is Sick and Twisted" (October 7, 2026) Prize: Eliminated: Locations Madrid (Madrid–Barajas Airport) → Marrakesh, Morocco (Marrakesh Menara Airport) Tameslouht (Razani Pottery) Agafay (Agafay Desert)
Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Marrakesh, Morocco. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to Razani Pottery, which had their next clue.