‘The Amazing Race’ Reveals Largest Cast Ever, New Game Play Twists and Locations for Season 37

“The Amazing Race” just got bigger. For the CBS reality hit’s Season 37, for the first time it will kick off with 14 teams — having previously expanded to 13 teams the past two seasons. (For most of its run, “The Amazing Race” capped things at 11 teams.)

The expansion to 14 teams comes as part of what CBS is dubbing a “season of surprises” for “The Amazing Race,” which “game-changing twists” each episode. Besides the show’s staple “fast foward” and “U-turn” game play, other elements will make a comeback. And new this season will be a “fork in the road,” as experienced during the very first leg in Hong Kong. According to the description, “when teams arrive at the fork in the road, they will have to choose which direction and route they want to take to the pit stop, creating two parallel races where two teams will be eliminated.”

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Co-creators/exec producers Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, shared some details about this season’s challenges, including a stop in Osaka, Japan, where they will perform with a taiko drum group, and skydive over Dubai. New for the first time will be a stop in Bulgaria, where they will perform a traditional folk dance.

“Adding a new city this season, teams will visit the medieval village of Strasbourg, France, which will feel like stepping into a fairytale,” the producers said. “For our season of surprises, there is no end to the drama, twists and turns until we see who the winners are.”

Phil Keoghan continues as host of “The Amazing Race,” which is bacj on Wednesday, March 5, at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS (and Paramount+ either live for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers or on demand the next day for Paramount+ Essential subscribers).

Here are the Season 37 teams competing on “The Amazing Race”:

Contestants Alyssa Borden and Josiah Borden from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Alyssa Borden (31, nurse anesthetist) and Josiah Borden (32, nurse anesthetist)
Married nurse anesthetists
Philadelphia
Contestants Bernie Gutierrez and Carrigain Scadden from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Bernie Gutierrez (31, personal trainer) and Carrigain Scadden (33, spa educator)
Friends
Dallas and Denver
Contestants Brett Hamby and Mark Romain from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Brett Hamby (36, acrobat) and Mark Romain (37, dancer/model)
Married Vegas performers
Las Vegas
Contestants Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Brett Hamby (36, acrobat) and Mark Romain (37, dancer/model)
Married Vegas performers
Las Vegas
Contestants Courtney Ramsey and Jasmin Carey from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Courtney Ramsey (33, registered nurse) and Jasmin Carey (34, nurse practitioner)
Dating nurses
Leland, N.C.
Contestants Ernest Cato and Bridget Cato from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Ernest Cato (59, retired chief, Chicago Police Department) and Bridget Cato (28, account supervisor)
Father and daughter
Chicago and Sommerville, Mass.
Contestants Han Nguyen and Holden Nguyen from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Han Nguyen (26, former energy consultant) and Holden Nguyen (22, Stanford student)
Siblings
Los Gatos, Calif.
Contestants Jackye Clayton and Lauren McKinney from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Jackye Clayton (51, talent acquisition architect) and Lauren McKinney (61, corporate event strategist)
Sisters
Waco, Texas
Contestants Jonathan Towns and Ana Towns from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Jonathan Towns (42, software developer) and Ana Towns (35, stay-at-home mom)
Married parents
Pomona, Calif.
Contestants Mark Crawford and Larry Graham from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Mark Crawford (63, retired firefighter) and Larry Graham (59, retired firefighter)
Best friends
Watertown, Tenn., and Bartlett, Tenn.
Contestants Melinda Papadeas and Erika Papadeas from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Melinda Papadeas (66, administration) and Erika Papadeas (32, client engagement specialist)
Mother and daughter
Chandler, Ariz., and Englewood, Colo.
Contestants Nick Fiorito and Mike Fiorito from the CBS Original Series THE AMAZING RACE, Season 37, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Nick Fio (32, entrepreneur and podcaster) and Mike Fio (28, entrepreneur and podcaster)
Brothers
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Jeff “Pops” Bailey (65, lumberjack) and Jeff Bailey (36, lumberjack)
Father and son
St. Louis, Mo.

Scott Thompson (47, physician assistant) and Lori Thompson (49, stay-at-home mom)
Married parents of eight sons
Salt Lake City, Utah

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Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Phil Keoghan, Mark Vertullo and Patrick Cariaga are executive producers of “The Amazing Race,” which comes from World Race Productions in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television, ABC Studios and Amazing Race Productions.

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