Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around Europe to win US$1,000,000.

After reuniting in St. Gallen, racers traveled through Switzerland, France, Greece, and Portugal before returning to the United States and finishing in Greater Los Angeles.

[4][5] This season of The Amazing Race started with Keoghan contacting teams at their homes, instructing them to travel to London, and it was expected to conclude in mid-March.

[6][7][8] However, filming was suspended on February 28 after three legs had been completed in England and Scotland with the contestants and production crew sent home as a precaution due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.

[9][7][10] According to van Munster, he contacted CBS after he and his crew arrived in Sweden to film in Lapland, where the fourth leg was to take place, to halt the season due to the dangers of the emerging pandemic.

[20] In April 2021, Mitch Graham, SVP of Alternative Programming, stated that production looked at the option of going to COVID-light countries but that it was unlikely as it would not lead to the same experience of traveling the globe.

[21] The following month, the creators of the show stated that they have plans to resume filming the season once they can assure team safety with mass vaccinations in target travel locations.

[27] Keoghan said that the use of a chartered jet was something they had considered previously as it would have eliminated problems with airports, and in this season, they at times did not inform the racers where their next destination was until they landed.

[30][31][7] The remaining legs after Scotland were altered to have travel proceed through locations with the lowest COVID-19 rates: Zürich, Lugano, Corsica, Halkidiki, Thessaloniki, and Lisbon before returning to Los Angeles.

[7] The cast included Love Island season 1 couple Caro Viehweg and Ray Gantt;[42] married internet personalities Kim and Penn Holderness;[43] Buffalo Singing Cops duo Michael Norwood and Moe Badger;[44] 2015 Thalys train attack heroes Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone; and Ryan Ferguson, who spent ten years in prison after being wrongfully convicted.

"[58] Denton Davidson of Gold Derby wrote that he "loved most of the cast, but the pandemic and changes it caused this race really hurt the season overall.