The Amazing Race 39

Production and Filming

The thirty-ninth season of The Amazing Race entered production following a casting period that opened on January 13, 2025, and closed on May 2, 2025. The thirteen competing teams were sequestered in Los Angeles on September 17, 2025, before principal photography commenced five days later in Vancouver, Canada. Filming spanned from September 22 to October 17, 2025, covering a global route that revisited Africa for the first time since season 31 and Oceania for the first time since season 22. The production broke new ground by filming in Albania for the first time in the show's history and by concluding the entire season without filming any legs within the contiguous United States. Host Phil Keoghan later reflected on the season in an interview, noting its cast, new twists, and a personal moment during the penultimate leg in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he visited his hospitalized father, John, for the last time prior to his death in November 2025.

The season's development occurred amidst a shift in network policy, as it was the first season since season 33 not produced under CBS's mandatory 50% BIPOC casting diversity initiative, which was rolled back in April 2025. Despite this formal change, casting director Jesse Tannenbaum stated his continued commitment to seeking diverse representation among the contestants. In promotion of the season, CBS organized a marketing event in Vancouver where social media influencers, including Addison Briann and Asante Madrigal, performed tasks from the premiere leg. Entertainment Tonight also featured a segment with Nischelle Turner attempting the first Roadblock and aired a special titled The Amazing Race: 25 Years Around the World on September 29, 2026, the day before the season premiere.

Season Format and New Twists

The Amazing Race 39 retained the core format of teams of two racing around the world, deciphering clues, and completing challenges while travelling through foreign locales on a limited budget. The season introduced several new gameplay mechanics designed to alter team strategy and dynamics. The most significant change was the distribution of an Express Pass to every team at the starting line, a first for the series. This pass could be used to bypass any single task through the sixth leg, with the rule that no more than one team could use their pass on any given challenge. Another new advantage, called Roadside Assistance, debuted in the third leg in Morocco. This item, found hidden within a task, allowed both team members to work together on a Roadblock, a task typically restricted to one racer, and could be used through the fifth leg.

Additional twists included the Scramble, which required teams to complete three tasks in any order to collect puzzle pieces revealing their next destination, featured in the fourth leg in Marrakesh. The season also presented a leg with two Driver's Seat opportunities during the fifth leg in Albania. The Driver's Seat allowed the first team to arrive at a challenge board to determine the work requirements for all teams, publicly assigning different quantities of must to produce or pastries to roll. The season maintained standard elements like Detours, Roadblocks, and Intersections, where two teams were forced to work together. The race consisted of twelve legs, with the last team to arrive at most Pit Stops facing elimination, culminating in a final leg for the US$1,000,000 prize.

Route and Leg Summaries

The race route for season 39 spanned approximately 25,000 miles across five continents, beginning in Vancouver, Canada, and concluding in Honolulu, Hawaii. The journey visited nine countries: Canada, Spain, Morocco, Albania, Sri Lanka, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The opening leg was set entirely within Vancouver, featuring tasks at BC Place, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, and False Creek before finishing at VanDusen Botanical Garden. The second leg saw teams fly to Madrid, Spain, for a Roadblock involving a La Tomatina festival and a Detour choice between slicing jamón ibérico or matching Spanish historical figures. The third leg travelled to Marrakesh, Morocco, where teams smashed clay jugs in a Roadblock and chose between camel retrieval or dune buggy travel in the Agafay Desert.

The fourth leg remained in Marrakesh and featured a Scramble requiring teams to complete three tasks in the medina related to Moroccan rugs, slippers, and yarn dyeing. The fifth leg moved the race to Tirana, Albania, notable for its two Roadblocks with Driver's Seat elements and a bunker puzzle at Bunk'Art 1. Subsequent legs, as outlined in production notes, continued to Sri Lanka (Colombo), Laos (Vientiane and Vang Vieng), Australia (Melbourne), and New Zealand (Christchurch) before the final sprint to Honolulu. Key locations in later legs included Hosier Lane and the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, and the Avon River and Christchurch Botanic Gardens in New Zealand.

• Leg 1 (Canada): Vancouver start. Tasks at BC Place (bungee swing Roadblock) and False Creek (maritime flags or outrigger canoe Detour). Pit Stop at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
• Leg 2 (Spain): Flight to Madrid. Roadblock searching for a clue in a tomato fight. Detour between ham slicing and history matching. Pit Stop at Plaza de España.
• Leg 3 (Morocco): Flight to Marrakesh. Roadblock smashing clay jugs for Roadside Assistance. Detour in Agafay Desert between camel care and dune buggy tea memorization.
• Leg 4 (Morocco): Scramble in Marrakesh medina with rug delivery, slipper matching, and yarn dyeing tasks. Pit Stop at Ben Youssef Madrasa.
• Leg 5 (Albania): Flight to Tirana. Two Roadblocks with Driver's Seat control (grape crushing and byrek rolling). Bunker puzzle at Bunk'Art 1. Pit Stop at Skanderbeg Square.
• Leg 7-12 (International): Route continues through Sri Lanka, Laos, Australia, New Zealand, finishing in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Contestants and Team Dynamics

The cast for The Amazing Race 39, officially announced on August 12, 2026, comprised thirteen teams, each with a pre-existing relationship. The lineup included notable teams such as retired U.S. Women's National Soccer Team players Ali Krieger and Joanna Lohman, marking the first time two professional female soccer players competed together on the race. The season also featured the series' first grandfather-grandson team, Doug and Dylan Matter. Other familial pairs included the mother-daughter duo of Ann-Marie and Riley Tejeck and the father-daughter team of Anuar Tager and Andrea Tager Ballesca. The cast was completed by four sets of siblings, two teams of best friends, two married couples, and one dating couple.

The early legs demonstrated varied strategies regarding the use of the universal Express Pass. In the premiere, teams Erin & Javi, Dafina & Saran, and Dylan & Doug all used their passes to bypass the bungee swing Roadblock or the Detour tasks. The new Roadside Assistance advantage was found by Dafina & Saran in Morocco and used by them on a subsequent Roadblock. The Driver's Seat twist in Albania saw Michelle & Matt take control twice, assigning different workload amounts to their competitors. The season's elimination order began with the elimination of Zach & Nate in the first leg, followed by Katie & Charlotte in Spain, Jody & Jenn in Morocco, Cody & Jaime in Morocco, and Dafina & Saran in Albania.

Broadcast and Reception

CBS formally announced the season for its 2026-27 television schedule on January 22, 2026, later confirming on April 11 that it would air in the fall of 2026 in the Wednesday 9:30 p.m. time slot, following Survivor 51. The premiere date was set for September 30, 2026, with the second episode airing on October 1 following the finale of Big Brother 28 before the show settled into its regular Wednesday slot. Episodes were scheduled to be 90 minutes in length. The premiere episode, titled "Sorry Guys, We Used Our Express Pass," focused on the immediate use of the new twist by several teams. Subsequent episode titles included "Are Tomatoes Good for Skin Care?" for the Spain leg and "This is Sick and Twisted" for the Morocco leg.

Each leg featured a prize for the first-place team, awarded as cashback rewards for trips to various international destinations. Erin & Javi won a trip to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey, for winning the first leg. Ali & Joanna won a trip to Hobart, Australia, after the second leg. Ann-Marie & Riley secured a trip to Singapore from the third leg, while Michelle & Matt won consecutive leg prizes, earning trips to Okinawa, Japan, after the fourth leg and to Cusco, Peru, including Machu Picchu and Vinicunca, after the fifth leg. The integration of these travel prizes aligned with the show's core theme of global adventure and competition.

Significance and Canadian Connection

The Amazing Race 39 holds particular significance for Canadian audiences due to its extensive focus on Vancouver in the premiere leg. The starting line at Jack Poole Plaza, with teams arriving via floatplane from Vancouver International Water Airport, presented a visually striking introduction to the season. The leg incorporated local culture and landmarks, including a welcoming ceremony by representatives of the Squamish Nation and an appearance by Squamish hereditary chief Ian Campbell as the Pit Stop greeter at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Challenges were deeply rooted in the region's identity, such as the Roadblock at BC Place involving a bungee swing and a salmon prop, and the Detour tasks centred on maritime flag signals on False Creek and outrigger canoe paddling.

The season's choice to start in Canada continues a tradition of the series occasionally launching from Canadian locations, offering global exposure to Canadian cities and landscapes. The season's production timeline and broadcast in 2026 arrived as the franchise celebrated over 25 years on television, marked by the Entertainment Tonight special. The personal story involving host Phil Keoghan's final visit with his father in Christchurch added an emotional layer to the season's narrative, connecting the global competition to the host's own life journey. For viewers, the season promised a blend of familiar race tension, innovative twists, and a visually diverse route from the coasts of Canada to the islands of Hawaii.

Questions about The Amazing Race 39

When did The Amazing Race 39 premiere and where can I watch it?

The Amazing Race 39 premiered on CBS on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The season airs in the United States on CBS following Survivor 51 in the network's Wednesday night lineup. Canadian viewers can typically access new episodes through CBS's broadcast or streaming partners available in Canada. The second episode aired on Thursday, October 1, 2026, following the Big Brother 28 finale, before the show returned to its regular Wednesday time slot.

What was the new twist introduced at the start of this season?

The major new twist for season 39 was that all thirteen teams were given an Express Pass at the starting line in Vancouver. This pass could be used to bypass any single task during the first six legs of the race. A key restriction was that no more than one team could use their Express Pass on any given challenge. Several teams used their passes early, such as in the first leg's bungee swing Roadblock or the maritime flag Detour. This universal distribution of a powerful advantage significantly altered early race strategy and team dynamics.

Which countries did the teams visit in The Amazing Race 39?

The race route for season 39 visited nine countries across five continents. The journey began in Canada (Vancouver) before teams flew to Spain (Madrid) and then Morocco (Marrakesh). The race then moved to Albania (Tirana), followed by Sri Lanka (Colombo), Laos (Vientiane and Vang Vieng), Australia (Melbourne), and New Zealand (Christchurch). The final leg concluded in the United States, specifically in Honolulu, Hawaii. This marked the show's first visits to Albania and Oceania since season 22, and to Africa since season 31.

Who are some of the notable teams competing this season?

Notable teams include Ali Krieger and Joanna Lohman, both retired players from the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, marking the first time two professional female soccer players have raced together. The season also features the first grandfather-grandson team in the show's history, Doug and Dylan Matter. Other notable familial teams are the mother-daughter duo of Ann-Marie and Riley Tejeck and the father-daughter team of Anuar Tager and Andrea Tager Ballesca. The cast is completed by four sibling teams, two best friend teams, two married couples, and one dating couple.

What is the 'Roadside Assistance' advantage?

Roadside Assistance is a new advantage introduced in the third leg in Morocco. It was found hidden within the clay jug smashing Roadblock task by the team of Dafina & Saran. This advantage allowed both members of a team to work together on a single Roadblock task, which is normally required to be completed by only one team member. The advantage was usable through the fifth leg of the race, and Dafina & Saran utilized it on the subsequent Roadblock in Marrakesh during the slipper search task in the fourth leg.

Where was the finish line for The Amazing Race 39?

The finish line for The Amazing Race 39 was in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. The final leg was filmed on October 17, 2025, concluding a race that started in Vancouver, Canada. This season is notable for being the first in the show's history where no legs were filmed within the contiguous United States, with the Hawaiian finish line representing the only U.S. location visited during the entire competition. The winning team crossed this finish line to claim the US$1,000,000 grand prize.

Sources and further reading

• The Amazing Race 39 (Wikipedia)
• How to Watch The Amazing Race Season 39 Premiere (fubo.tv)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.