Will ‘American Idol’ Return for Season 25 in 2027? The Latest Updates

Alyssa Norwin March 27, 2026, 11:55 am

Ryan Seacrest, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie — Disney/Brian Bowen Smith

Season 24 of American Idol is winding down, with the Live Shows finally beginning on the upcoming March 30 episode. And while there’s still plenty of competition left to go before a 2026 winner is crowned, fans are already looking ahead to the show’s future.

American Idol initially aired on Fox for 15 seasons from 2002 to 2016. In 2018, it was revived by ABC and has ran for nine seasons there in the years since. So, what about Season 25, which will be a major milestone for the beloved singing competition?

Scroll down for everything we know so far about what’s to come from American Idol.

Will American Idol return for Season 25?

So far, ABC has not confirmed whether there will be a 2027 season of American Idol, but all signs point to a return. Not only would it make sense to continue the program with a landmark season coming up, but the ratings for Season 24 have remained impressive for the network.

For the 2025-2026 television season, American Idol is second in the ratings for ABC, falling only behind Dancing With the Stars. So far this season, Idol is averaging 5.134 million viewers with a .451 rating in the key Adults 18-49 demo. This is up from Season 23, which finished the season averaging 4.932 million viewers on Sunday nights and 4.190 million viewers on Monday nights.

Season 24 has been going head-to-head with Season 29 of The Voice on Monday nights, and Idol has been winning in the ratings against its direct NBC competitor, as well.

When does American Idol Season 25 premiere?

American Idol Season 25 doesn’t have a premiere date yet, but it will likely return at some point at the beginning of 2027. For most of its ABC run, Idol premiered in mid-February or early March, but Season 24 came back at the end of January instead (and will only be airing one night a week all season, whereas past seasons had a two-night run once Live Shows began).

Who are the American Idol Season 25 judges?

If there is a Season 25, we likely won’t find out who the judges are until sometime over the summer. Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie have been judges for all nine seasons on ABC so far, while Carrie Underwood joined the panel for Seasons 23 and 24, replacing Katy Perry, who sat alongside Richie and Bryan for Seasons 16 to 22.