“American Idol” is gearing up for another season, and fans have been counting down for the show’s 2026 return. We have all the details for the start date, time, and schedule for the “American Idol” season 24 premiere on ABC. Find out all the details below in our “American Idol” spoilers.
When Does ‘American Idol’ 2026 Start?
The wait is over, as the “American Idol” 2026 premiere kicks off tonight, Monday, January 25, on ABC. Yes, it’s a new season, and with it comes a new night.
While “American Idol” has been filling the Sunday night lineup for ABC since it rebooted the show, we are now seeing a shift to a new night. “American Idol” season 24 will air on Monday night this season.
What Time Is ‘American Idol’ On?
Even with the shift in days, there doesn’t seem to be a shift in the timing of these episodes. For the “American Idol” season 24 premiere, it will take place at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
As with any network, there may be special episodes that air or a shift in scheduling, but for now, Idol will be airing on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
If you can’t watch it as it airs, the episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
‘American Idol’ 2026 Premiere Schedule
For tonight’s premiere, it will kick off the season 24 auditions. Tonight’s premiere is all about bringing in a new batch of singers for the judges and seeing who gets a ticket to Hollywood.
For this season’s auditions, ABC announced how these aspiring singers could audition for the show with the “Idol Across America” live virtual auditions. Those auditions kicked off on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. They were held throughout the rest of August and most of September.
From there, a select few were picked to actually sing in front of the judges. Those in-person auditions took place in November 2025 at Belmont University in Tennessee. This was the first time in the show’s history that auditions only took place at one location.
Who Are the Season 24 Judges & Host?
While there are plenty of changes coming to “American Idol” season 24, one thing that remains constant is the judges and host.
For season 24, Ryan Seacrest will be back as host, a spot he has held since day one. ABC is also bringing back the season 23 judges’ panel for another go-round. This, of course, includes Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan.
“American Idol” season 24 airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The new episodes will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Follow along tonight with our season 24 LIVE RECAP right here!
