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RuPaul and 14 new queens have officially kicked off Drag Race season 18.
Following its Jan. 2 premiere, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18 airs weekly on Fridays at 8 p.m. PT/ET on MTV, meaning cord-cutters can stream it live on any live TV streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo, Fubo (with a five-day free trial) and Hulu + Live TV.
Following each 90-minute episode, a new episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, the companion program taking fans behind the scenes of Drag Race, will air at 9:30 p.m. PT/ET on MTV (meaning it can also be livestreamed via DirecTV, Philo, Fubo or Hulu + Live TV).
At a Glance: How to Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18
- Premiere: Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, 8 p.m. PT/ET
- Episode release dates: Weekly on Fridays, 8 p.m. PT/ET
- Channel: MTV
- Stream online: DirecTV, Philo, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV
How to Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18: Air Date and Time, Stream Online Free
Following the season 18 premiere on Jan. 2, 2026, new Drag Race episodes air weekly on Fridays at 8 p.m. PT/ET on MTV (and can be livestreamed via DirecTV, Philo, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV). Episodes of companion program RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, will air immediately following, at 9:30 p.m. PT/ET, also on MTV.
Since select streamers are offering free trials and limited-time discounts, viewers can watch the latest episode at no cost; keep reading to learn more about each option.
Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $19.99 per month), at directv.com.
Philo
$25 first month; $33 per month thereafter
Watch MTV on Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives.
The streamer is offering $8 off for the first month, and packages are just $33 per month thereafter.
Fubo
Five-day free trial; packages from $55.99 per month ($45.99 for first month)
Watch MTV with a subscription to Fubo, which offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers.
After the trial, plans start at $45.99 for the first month and $55.99 monthly afterward.
Hulu + Live TV
Three-day free trial; packages from $82.99 per month
Watch MTV for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, starting at $89.99 per month.
How to Watch RuPaul’s Drag Race Seasons 1 Through 17
Seasons one through 17 of Drag Race are available to stream on-demand on Paramount+, which offers a seven-day free trial period. There isn’t yet information regarding if and when season 18 will be available on the streaming service.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 Cast
The 14 drag queens battling it out for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar and $200,000, plus an official makeup collaboration with Anastasia Beverly Hills, include:
- Athena Dion (Miami, FL)
- Briar Blush (Boston, MA)
- Ciara Myst (Indianapolis, IN)
- Darlene Mitchell (Los Angeles, CA)
- DD Fuego (New York, NY)
- Discord Addams (St. Petersburg, FL)
- Jane Don’t (Seattle, WA)
- Juicy Love Dion (Miami, FL)
- Kenya Pleaser (Sumter, SC)
- Mandy Mango (Philadelphia, PA)
- Mia Starr (West Palm Beach, FL)
- Myki Meeks (Orlando, FL)
- Nini Coco (Denver, CO)
- Vita VonTesse Starr (Montgomery, AL)
Per Drag Race, the contestants are tasked to “tribute to the queens that came before them by using their leftover treasures from the Drag Race vaults to create their own signature drag look.” Read more about each of the 14 queens here.
