'American Idol' 2026 Judges Lineup Confirmed: Who's Returning & Who Doesn't Have a New Deal Just Yet

American Idol season 23 wrapped up earlier this year, and ABC just confirmed who will be on the judges panel for 2026′s season 24! By the way, this will only be the 9th season on ABC as the series previously aired on Fox.

Season 23 featured Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie as the three judges. It was Carrie‘s first season as a judge after replacing Katy Perry in the position.

So, will they be back? We have several updates! In addition, there’s also some news about Ryan Seacrest.

Auditions for the new season begin on Tuesday (August 26). Fans cannot wait to see the fan favorite singing competition series back on their screens.

Keep reading for what we know…