Honestly, if your Friday nights haven't felt right lately, it’s probably because you’re missing the neon lights of the Werk Room. We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through social media, seeing rumors about casting, and wondering exactly when the next batch of queens is going to walk through those doors and change the world—or at least our Twitter feeds.
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18 officially started on Friday, January 2, 2026.
If you’re reading this right now, the engines are already revving. New episodes air every Friday night at 8:00 PM ET/PT on MTV. We’re back to the 90-minute format, which is a massive relief because those 60-minute episodes from a few years ago felt like a fever dream we’d all rather forget. After the main show, Untucked slides right in at 9:30 PM to show us the cigarette-break-energy drama we actually live for.
The Season 18 Schedule: Mark Your Calendars
The show is currently in full swing. Because the premiere kicked off on the very first Friday of the year, we’re looking at a standard 14 to 16-episode run. If the math holds up—and it usually does with World of Wonder—we’re looking at a grand finale sometime in April 2026.
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The guest judge lineup this year is actually insane. Cardi B opened the season as the premiere judge, and the rumors were true: she was chaotic in the best way possible. We’re also seeing appearances from Teyana Taylor, Zara Larsson, and even the legendary Brooke Shields.
Where to Watch if You Missed the Live Airing
Watching live on MTV is the "correct" way to do it if you want to avoid spoilers, but let’s be real, life happens. If you’re a cord-cutter, you've basically got a few solid options:
- Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling TV: These carry MTV live.
- MTV.com: You can usually watch with a "24-hour viewing pass" if you’re sneaky, or log in with a cable provider.
- Paramount+: Now, don't get confused. The "regular" seasons of Drag Race (like Season 18) usually don't hit Paramount+ until after the full season has aired on MTV. If you’re looking for All Stars, that’s a different story.
- WOW Presents Plus: If you’re outside the US, this is your holy grail.
Why This Season Feels Different
There’s a specific kind of energy this year. For the first time in the history of the US franchise, we have a literal mother-daughter duo competing on the same season. Athena Dion and Juicy Love Dion both hail from Miami, and seeing them navigate the competition together has been... well, it’s been a lot. Athena is a legend in the Florida scene (she’s the drag mother of Season 16’s Morphine Love Dion), so the stakes are high.
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Also, can we talk about the geographical shift? We usually get a heavy dose of NYC and LA queens, but Season 18 has pulled heavily from the South and the Midwest. We’ve got Nini Coco representing Denver and Kenya Pleaser coming in from Sumter, South Carolina. It’s refreshing to see different types of drag—pageant, camp, and club kid—clashing in one room again.
What About All Stars 11?
This is the question that usually follows "when does drag race start?" right? People want to know about the legends. While nothing is set in stone until RuPaul says so, the pattern for the last few years suggests that All Stars 11 will likely premiere in May or June 2026, immediately following the conclusion of Season 18.
All Stars typically lives exclusively on Paramount+, so make sure your subscription is active by the time the Season 18 finale rolls around. There have been whispers about a "Global All Stars 2" or another "vs. The World" iteration, but the flagship All Stars is what most fans are eyeing for the early summer slot.
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A Quick Reality Check on the Spinoffs
The "Drag Race" multiverse is expanding faster than we can keep up with. In 2026 alone, we're expecting:
- Drag Race Down Under vs. The World: Hosted by Michelle Visage (finally!).
- Drag Race España All Stars Season 2.
- Drag Race México: Latina Royale.
Basically, if you’re asking when Drag Race starts, the answer is "always." There is almost never a week in 2026 where a version of this show isn't airing somewhere on the planet.
How to Stay Ahead of the Spoilers
If you want to stay informed without accidentally seeing the elimination order on a random Reddit thread, follow the official accounts on Instagram and TikTok. But honestly? The best way to keep up is to set a recurring alarm for Friday nights at 8 PM.
If you've missed the first few episodes of Season 18, your best bet is to catch up on the MTV app or through a VOD service like Amazon or Apple TV, where you can buy the season pass. It’s worth the few bucks to see the "RDR Live" sketch comedy challenge that just aired—it was actually funny for once.
Your Next Steps:
Check your local listings or streaming app to ensure you have access to MTV. If you're behind, binge-watch the first three episodes of Season 18 before next Friday so you can join the conversation without feeling lost when everyone starts quoting the latest "lip sync for your life" debacle.