American Idol season 24, also known as the American Idol Class of 2026, premieres on January 26, 2026, at 8 PM ET (5 PM PT) on the ABC television network. Once again, Ryan Seacrest returns as the host of this iconic competition, guiding viewers through another exciting season, including the new Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover format in Nashville. Fans will also welcome back judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood.
You may be able to find an illegal stream, but these are usually low quality and often get taken down mid-episode. That’s why it makes more sense to stick with official options. You can stream American Idol season 24 the next day on ABC, which typically makes the most recently aired episode available for free for up to seven days, or use Hulu, the show’s official streaming partner, where the new season is available on demand.
With a VPN, you can access official streaming options to watch American Idol season 24 from anywhere. Sticking with legitimate platforms will let you enjoy the show in high quality, without interruptions or reliability issues.
Don’t want to miss out on the excitement? Below, we’ll explain how you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to watch American Idol season 24 online, even if you’re traveling abroad.
How to watch American Idol season 24 online with a VPN
In case you’re wondering, a VPN allows you to change your IP address, making it appear as if you’re browsing from another location. One advantage of this is that you can then access geo-blocked content such as American Idol season 24.
Here’s how to watch American Idol (2026) online from anywhere:
- Sign up with a reputable VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN. However, Surfshark and ExpressVPN are two great alternatives worth considering.
- Download and install the appropriate VPN app or browser extension for your device (the device on which you plan to watch American Idol season 24).
- Sign in to the VPN app and connect to a server in the US. You’ll then be assigned a US IP address, allowing you to unblock ABC from anywhere in the world.
- Go to ABC and sign in with your TV provider. If you don’t have cable TV, you can sign up for a TV streaming service that offers ABC (more on these later).
- Select the ABC live stream on ABC or via your preferred streaming service. The content should be unblocked. If not, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies.
American Idol will air live on ABC. We recommend you test your VPN with ABC in advance to avoid disappointment. That way, you’ll still have time to contact your VPN’s customer support for further assistance if you have any trouble.
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How to watch American Idol season 24 on US TV
You can watch the 24th season of American Idol on ABC. If you already have a US cable TV subscription, all you need to do is sign in with your TV provider. This requires entering your cable TV login details (username or email address and password). You can then livestream American Idol at no extra cost.
Fortunately, you can also watch American Idol on ABC without cable by signing up for one of the following live TV streaming services: FuboTV ($79.99 USD/month), Hulu with Live TV ($75.99/month), or YouTube TV ($72.99/month). Each episode is also available on Hulu the day after it airs live on ABC. In addition, ABC often makes the most recently aired episode available to watch for free on its website for up to seven days, without requiring any cable login.
ABC and all of the streaming services listed above are region-locked and only available in the US. However, you can watch from abroad by connecting to a VPN’s US server. This gives you a US IP address, allowing you to bypass regional restrictions.
NordVPN includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it with ABC and request a full refund if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
Who are the judges for season 24?
The American Idol Season 24 judging panel includes long-time favorites Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, alongside Carrie Underwood, who joined the panel last season! Fans of the show will recognize Carrie as the winner of Season 4, and her addition makes history as she is the first former contestant to return as a judge. Her journey from a small-town singer to an international superstar is bound to inspire contestants, and her unique perspective as someone who has walked in their shoes will undoubtedly add an exciting dynamic to the show.
With her extensive experience in the music industry, Carrie Underwood is expected to bring a blend of artist mentorship, relatable advice, and constructive feedback to help guide the next generation of Idol hopefuls.
What can we expect from season 24?
American Idol season 24 promises everything fans have come to expect from the show, including raw talent, emotional backstories, and standout performances, but with a few notable twists for the Class of 2026. The stakes remain high, with contestants competing for the coveted golden ticket and a place in the newly reworked Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover, which moves the competition to Nashville for the first time.
The return of Carrie Underwood on the judging panel continues to add an extra layer of excitement. As a former winner herself, she brings firsthand insight into what it takes to go the distance, and contestants clearly value feedback from someone who’s been through the process and come out on top. Alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, the judges have hinted at a strong mix of styles this year, with more diverse musical backgrounds expected to shine.
With a refreshed Hollywood Week format, a confident judging lineup, and a new wave of talent stepping into the spotlight, American Idol season 24 is shaping up to be a memorable chapter in the show’s long-running journey.
Can I use a free VPN to watch American Idol season 24?
No. Although there are some free VPNs advertised online, they won’t work with major streaming platforms that carry American Idol. Broadcasters like ABC and Hulu actively block VPN traffic, and because free VPNs operate much smaller server networks, they are usually the first to be detected and blocked.
Even well-known VPN brands that offer limited free plans, such as Proton VPN or Hotspot Shield, won’t help you stream ABC or Hulu from abroad. These services restrict streaming access to paying users to encourage upgrades. This means you can use the free plan for basic privacy or to bypass censorship, but not to unblock streaming platforms.
There are also security concerns to consider. Studies have shown that many free VPNs use questionable privacy policies, weak encryption, or suffer from IP and DNS leaks that can put your device and personal data at risk. From a privacy standpoint, free VPNs often introduce more problems than they solve, which is why you need to be very careful about which ones you install.
If you want to watch American Idol season 24 abroad using a VPN, the safest option is to choose one of the premium VPNs I tested. Most include a money-back guarantee, allowing you to watch the season and request a full refund afterward if you don’t want to keep the service.
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