Jeff Probst. Robert Voets/CBS Survivor 50 won't premiere until February 2026, but fans already know plenty about what to expect. Dubbed Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, viewers voted on exactly what the season will look like - from the color of each tribe's buffs to the game's twists, and even whether the finale is live or taped. It's a celebration of 25 years on the air for the CBS reality staple, and host Jeff Probst wanted to use the occasion to give back to the fans by letting them have a hand in the season's production. "I wanted it to be a thank you to the fans because that's the whole reason we've been on so long is their loyalty of sticking with us," he told Entertainment Weekly in February 2025. "Even if they don't love every idea, they don't quit on us." How Fans Will Influence 'Survivor' Season 50 With a Vote of Their Own Here's what we know about Survivor 50, and everything we're hoping for: When Will 'Survivor 50' Premiere? Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans was filmed in June 2025 and the three-hour premiere will air Wednesday, February 25, 2026, on CBS at 8 p.m. ET. CBS will also air 10 classic Survivor episodes in the days leading up to the premiere, beginning on Monday, February 9. Who Is in the 'Survivor 50' Cast? In May 2025, Probst announced 24 players, including two winners and several multiseason contestants, would be making their return to the game. The cast includes Survivor legends Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth, season 1's Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, season 2's Colby Donaldson, season 10's Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, season 18's Benjamin "Coach" Wade, season 32's Aubry Bracco, season 35's Chrissy Hofbeck, season 37's Mike White, Christian Hubicki and Angelina Keely, season 38's Rick Devens, season 42's Jonathan Young, season 45's Dee Valladares and Emily Flippen, season 46's Quintavius "Q" Burdette, Tiffany Ervin and Charlie Davis, season 47's Genevieve Mushaluk, season 48's Kamilla Karthigesu, Kyle Fraser and Joe Hunter, and season 49's Rizo Velovic and Savannah Louie. Everything Fans Voted On for 'Survivor 50' CBS The fan vote for season 50 started simple, as the first questions fans faced was to choose the colors for each tribe. After that, it got interesting. Fans then voted on whether players would receive rice at the start of the game and had a hand in guiding the advantages and twists throughout. At the end of the season, fans determined if the final three would be set by a fire-making challenge, which has happened every season since 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. They will also chose whether the votes were read during the final tribal council, as has been the case throughout the new era, or if the series will return to a live finale in the United States, which would air long after the season was taped. The third round of fan voting covered the look of the immunity necklace, the supplies each tribe will have at the start of the game, and, most critically, game twists. "The right twist at the right moment can change the game for players in exciting ways. But some fans prefer a more straightforward game where strategic alliances are all that matter. Which are you?" CBS teased in theits round three voting announcement, without revealing which twists fans will be able to dictate. Jeff Probst Says 'Survivor' Returning Players Won't Be Limited to New Era The final round of voting pit old-school and new-school Survivor fans against each other as viewers determined whether players would be able to hunt for hidden immunity idols. The question posed to fans read, "Your last big decision regarding game play! Idols are a big part of today's game and responsible for some of the most dramatic moves in Survivor history - but for Survivor 50, YOU get to decide: IDOLS or NO IDOLS." Survivor has not had a season without any hidden idols whatsoever since season 10, which aired in 2004, but the question touches on one gripe many fans have with the show's current format. Some feel there are too many idols and advantages at play, and they can now vote on whether season 50 is truly back to basics. Fans will not know the results of their voting until they see Survivor 50 players hit the beach during the premiere. Jeff Probst Explains Why 'Survivor' Brought Back Jury Introduction How Many Days Will the 'Survivor 50' Cast Play? Like all seasons in the new era, the game will take place for 26 days. Can Voting Change the Trajectory of Future Seasons? CBS Rarely does Survivor commit to keeping an element of the game static for the rest of time. The show is tied to Fiji as a location right now and 26 days as the season length, but after that, just about everything is subject to change. Asked if the fans' votes on Survivor 50 could impact future seasons, Probst said it was a possibility. "That remains to be seen, but I'm certainly open to it," he said. "I think there's two things that you have to remember when you're listening to advice from a fan. One is that's really how they feel and you've got