What is the Race Across the World 2026 route? - Radio Times
It's going to be tough!
www.radiotimes.comHere are the latest updates on Race Across the World in 2026.
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Route and format: The 2026 series takes contestants on an east-to-west trek, passing through Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, with the finale heading toward Mongolia. This is described as one of the toughest routes yet, featuring diverse climates and languages [Radio Times: Race Across the World 2026 route].[2]
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Start and schedule: Series 6 premiered in early April 2026, with episodes released weekly through May 2026. Episode air dates include early April and mid-to-late May, aligning with BBC One’s Thursday-evening schedule noted in coverage and episode lists [Tech Advisor summary of Series 6; Digital Spy 2025/2026 coverage].[3][4]
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Teams and lineup: The 2026 edition features five two-person teams, including pairs such as Jo and Kush, Katie and Harrison, Molly and Andrew, Puja and Roshni, and Mark and Margo. This lineup mirrors the show’s usual format of mixed-family and friendship teams competing for the prize [Tech Advisor article; TV Guide UK coverage].[6][3]
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How to watch: The show continues to air on BBC One with availability for streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK. Viewers can expect the familiar mix of budget travel, cultural encounters, and time-based challenges that define the series [BBC press expectations and common broadcast pattern; Radio Times article].[2]
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Related context: If you’re considering applying or following the show’s latest season, recent coverage highlights the audition process and the ongoing popularity of the format, with several outlets outlining how to apply and what producers look for in contestants [Yahoo UK apply article; TV Guide UK coverage].[8][9]
Illustration: A map-style overview of the 2026 route (Italy → Greece → Türkiye → Georgia → Kazakhstan → Uzbekistan → Kyrgyzstan → Mongolia) helps visualize the journey’s breadth and climates, reinforcing why this season’s route is described as especially challenging.
If you’d like, I can pull a concise table of the 2026 episodes with air dates and checkpoints, or compile a short country-by-country snapshot of what contestants experience at each leg. I can also provide direct links to official BBC pages or recent articles for deeper reading.