[3] The program functions similar to AGT, but involves a variety of participants taken from across both AGT and the Got Talent franchise – including winners, finalists, live round participants and other notable entries – who compete against each other to secure a place in a grand final, in which the winner receives a cash prize and the title of America's chosen "World Champion" within Got Talent.

Each group was instructed to be at the venue on a specific date to begin their part in the competition in a preliminary round.

The host remains in the wings, and is filmed at times to provide commentary on the participant's performance for the episode covering the round.

The number of participants was reduced to forty, with the rules of the competition modified so that each preliminary would see around three acts being advanced into a Semi-finals round – two from the Superfan Vote, and the third voted for by the judges amongst the acts placed in 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively – with those reaching the semi-final competing for six places in the Grand-final, alongside those who had advanced into it with the Golden Buzzer.

Cowell had conceived of the idea for a global competition, based on the talent that the franchise had produced across the years from its various international editions, including the American original, and suggested that the competition incorporate some of the most memorable and notable participants from across Got Talent's history competing against each other within a venue in the United States, where the franchise originated from.

Executives favored the idea greatly, due to the success of America's Got Talent, and opened discussions on the format of the broadcast for the spin-off, which they agreed to have the subtitle of "The Champions".

The decision was for the contest to be held between September and October that year, but with the program pre-recorded – filming would take place throughout the competition, and episodes of all stages would be edited before their broadcast as part of the network's 2018/2019 winter schedule, thus ensuring those involved in the spin-off, both host and judges, would not have any conflicting work schedules to prevent their participation on The Champions.

[18] However, the main program's host Tyra Banks could not be involved in the spin-off; media outlets had begun speculating that her upcoming work schedule after the thirteenth season would likely lead to her leaving America's Got Talent,[19] which later proved correct in the following months.

Instead, Cowell and the producers sought another television personality to take on the role, and chose actor Terry Crews to be the host of The Champions.