Meet the 14 Teams Competing on ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 37 (Exclusive)

Get ready for the “biggest, baddest, most competitive” season of The Amazing Race. For the first time in the CBS reality competition series’ history, 14 teams will race around the world for a shot at victory — and PopCulture.com has an exclusive sneak peek at the duos who will be taking on the adventure of a lifetime when Season 37 kicks off on Wednesday, March 5.

“For the first time in Amazing Race history, 14 teams are embarking on a race around the world. Never done that before,” host Phil Keoghan teases in the Season 37 preview. “We’re going to race through nine countries and travel more than 29,000 miles. And once again on Amazing Race, [we have] a brand new country — Bulgaria.”

Keoghan continues, “Every episode is going to have a game-changing surprise. Some of these surprises are returning twists and other surprises are things that we’ve never done before.”

Fans then get a glimpse at Keoghan breaking the news of one of those twists to the teams, announcing the “first-ever fork in the road.” He explains, “Teams have to decide which route they want to take. A 14-team race will become two parallel 7-team races, where there will be two eliminations.”

As with every season of The Amazing Race, it’s the competitors who make all the difference, and Keoghan says Season 37 has “huge” energy potential with the mix of teams joining the race.

First, we meet best friends and gamers Carson and Jack, who describe themselves as “huge nerds” and Dungeons & Dragons streamers. They’ll be facing off against married couple Scott and Lori, who live a “wild,” “loud” and “awesome” life with eight sons, as well as father-daughter duo Ernest and Bridget. “Growing up, my dad was always my superhero,” Bridget says.

Mother-daughter pair Melinda and Erika are also competing, as Erika admits, “We realize she’s 65 and we don’t have that much time to figure it out anymore.” Also teaming up are “besties” Bernie and Carrigain as well as longtime pals Mark and Larry, who have traveled “coast to coast” on their motorcycles together but are embarking on their first international adventure.

Married couple Jonathan and Ana credit The Amazing Race with bringing them back together after a “humongous fight” early on in their marriage, while father and son team Pops and Jeff reveal they’re often watching challenges on the show they think would be “perfect” for their skill set as lumberjacks.

Married Las Vegas performers Brett and Mark are also confident their unique set of skills will serve them well on the road, with Mark joking, “He used to freefall 80 feet from the ceiling, so heights and stuff he’s got.”

The teams of Season 37 are drawing on all kinds of inspiration for their race around the world, with dating nurses Courtney and Jasmin explaining that being “queer women” and “women of faith” is how they’re able to compete today. Meanwhile, sisters Jackye and Lauren are inspired to take on the challenge by their mother, who “waited to get to retirement to do all of these things” before being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The Amazing Race is “unlike any other show,” gush married nurse anesthetists Alyssa and Josiah, as siblings Hans and Holden insist that it’s about more than just traveling, it’s “immersing yourself within a culture.” As brothers Nick and Mike prepare to compete, Nick tells the camera, “Mike and I have been applying to the show for the last seven years. There is no better way to live life to the fullest.”

The Amazing Race Season 37 premieres Wednesday, March 5, at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.