Geoff Daniels, executive VP of unscripted entertainment for National Geographic Networks, stated, "Unlike other competition formats, Race to the Center of the Earth will combine the grittiness of a survival show with the cinematic style of a feature film action-thriller dropping viewers into the middle of a heart-pounding journey unlike anything ever made for television.
"[9] Casting for the series began in June 2019,[14] and filming started and ended in October, taking only two and a half weeks to finish.
[15] On January 17, 2020, at the TV Critics Association press tour, it was announced that the four teams would be competing from different corners of the Earth, one starting in Canada, one in South America, one in Southeast Asia, and one in Siberia in eastern Russia.
[15] During the interviewing at the press tour, co-creator Elise Doganieri explained that the routes for each team were meticulously planned and tested to be equal and fair.
[15] According to Bertram van Munster, the production team tested each route three times to ensure fairness.