American Idol is confirmed to be returning for Season 24 in 2026, and ABC has finally revealed which three superstars will be sitting behind the judges’ table this time around. As auditions prepare to kick off this fall, the public finally knows who will be judging the singing competition next year.
The Season 24 judges are Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood! Yes, the same panel from Season is returning for another go, marking Bryan and Richie’s ninth season as judges and Underwood’s second.
There have been a number of judges on American Idol over the years, but when the show moved to ABC in 2018, Katy Perry, Bryan, and Richie were behind the desk for seven seasons straight. Bryan and Richie returned for Season 23 in 2025, but after Perry’s departure, Underwood joined the panel.
As a former American Idol winner herself, Underwood brought insight to the show like never before. Plus, there was the nostalgia factor all season long.
“Idol is kind of a year-by-year, ‘Do we do it or not?’” Bryan recently admitted to Taste of Country Nights. He also added, “We’ll see what happens,” when asked about his future with the program. When it came to Underwood, though, he teased, “My prediction would be highly favorable [that she’ll return].”
Perry’s decision to leave the show came so she could focus on her music career. After her exit, she released her album 143 in 2024 and has been on her Lifetimes tour since April. The tour continues until December and includes international dates around the world. Amid the busy schedule, Perry also recently ended her engagement to Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares 5-year-old daughter Daisy.
A return to Idol in the future isn’t out of the realm of possibility for the “Teenage Dream” singer, though. “Maybe I’ll come back if they’ll have me one day,” she said on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
What are your thoughts on the judges’ panel for Season 24? Will you be tuning in next year? Let us know in the comments section below.
American Idol, Season 24 Premiere, 2026, ABC
