The Floor is an American game show based on the Dutch game show of the same name. The series is hosted by Rob Lowe and premiered on January 2, 2024, on Fox. Standing in separate LED squares of a floor grid, contestants with expertise in a variety of trivia subjects challenge each other in head-to-head duels, with the winner of each duel taking over all territory controlled by the loser. The winner then chooses whether to go on the offensive to try and gain more territory or let the Floor choose a new challenger. The contestant who gains full control over the Floor takes home $250,000 as the grand prize for winning the game.
Fox announced on June 29, 2023, that it ordered the series. Season 1 was recorded August 2–6, 2023 at Ardmore Studios in Bray, Ireland. An announcement on September 13, 2023, named Rob Lowe as host and producer. On November 6, 2023, Fox announced that the series would premiere on January 2, 2024. On May 12, 2024, the show renewed for a second and a third season. The second season premiered on September 25, 2024. On November 18, 2024, Fox announced that the third season would premiere on February 9, 2025, following Super Bowl LIX, and keeping its regular timeslot starting on February 12, 2025. On May 10, 2025, the show renewed for a fourth and fifth season. The fourth season premiered on September 24, 2025. The fifth season premiered on April 8, 2026. On February 6, 2026, the show renewed for a sixth and seventh season. The sixth season will premiere on September 13, 2026.
Contents
Format
Each season begins with a pool of contestants standing in separate square spaces of a large grid on the studio floor. Each contestant has a category in which they feel particularly knowledgeable. However, the producers of the show ultimately decide the categories the contestants have. Season 1 featured 81 contestants in a 9-by-9 grid; as of Season 2, 100 contestants play on a 10-by-10 grid. The floor measures 20 by 12 meters, or roughly 66 by 39 feet.
The game progresses over the course of a season with the grand prize awarded to the contestant who ultimately controls the entire floor. Secondary prizes are awarded throughout the season to the contestant with the most territory at the end of each episode after a certain number of duels (usually eight, but on occasion nine). For seasons two, three, and five, every third episode (disregarding the finale's tiebreaker) has nine duels per episode. For the fourth season, every third and fourth episode (excluding the final two episodes) has nine duels per episode.
One contestant is chosen at random (via "The Randomizer") to be a challenger and shown the categories of all opponents whose territories share at least one side with their own, then chooses one of them to challenge face-to-face in a head-to-head duel. The specifics of the duel remain undisclosed until the challenger selects an opponent, with the format defaulting to visual unless specified otherwise by the host. The two contestants take turns identifying a series of images or words associated with the challenged opponent's category. They are each given separate 45-second clocks, only one of which runs at any given time, starting with the challenger. The contestant in control must give a correct answer to stop their clock and turn control over to their opponent. Infinite guesses are allowed without penalty, and a contestant may pass whenever desired; however, they must wait three seconds for a new image or text to be shown. Some categories are text-based, requiring contestants to perform tasks such as filling in the missing word(s) of a book title or song lyric, or naming the movie from which a famous quote is taken. Season 2 introduced audio duels, in which the contestant has to decipher the answer via audio cue with visuals provided to indicate turn order. Season 3 introduced association duels, in which the contestant is shown three clues and must state their common link. Season 4 introduced video duels, which show clips instead of images. Season 5 introduced close-up duels, in which the contestant has to decipher the clue while zoomed. Once a category has been selected and played, it is permanently removed from play and cannot be chosen again, ensuring each category can only be played once.
Results by contestant
Original categories are listed first & shown in boldface. Inherited categories are listed after the original category without boldface. A hyphen indicates a more specific topic in the associated category. The specific topic is italicized. Parentheses indicate what a category refers to if a colloquial phrase; it also specifies the category's style of play if specified to be non-visual or text-based (audio, association, video, etc.). A strikethrough indicates a stolen category from its owner by another contestant (The contestant who stole or took the category is listed). A golden square has the square number colored golden. [] Brackets indicate the remaining words of a topic that have had their title shortened. A cyan square indicates that the contestant has earned the Territory Freeze.
Season 4
In September 2025, Fox revealed that the season would have the theme "America Duels", in which the field will feature two representatives from each U.S. state.
Season 5
On March 26, 2026, Amazing Race: Season 32 Winner James Wallington announced he would appear as a contestant on Season 5 of the show, as well as Voice Actor Kyle Phillips.
Season 6
On September 1, 2026, online personality Dan Ryckert confirmed he would be appearing as a contestant on the show's sixth season. Later on, all the contestants were announced.
Duels
Season 1
Week 1 (January 2, 2024): Top 81 – 7 Duels
Week 2 (January 9, 2024): Top 74 – 8 Duels
Week 3 (January 16, 2024): Top 66 – 8 Duels
Week 4 (January 23, 2024): Top 58 – 8 Duels
Week 5 (January 30, 2024): Top 50 – 8 Duels
Week 6 (February 6, 2024): Top 42 – 8 Duels
Week 7 (February 13, 2024): Top 34 – 9 Duels
Week 8 (February 20, 2024): Top 25 – 8 Duels
Week 9 Part 1 (February 27, 2024): Top 17 – 8 Duels
Week 9 Part 2 (February 27, 2024): Top 9 – 8 Duels
Season 2
Week 1 (September 25, 2024): Top 100 – 8 Duels
Week 2 (October 2, 2024): Top 92 – 8 Duels
Week 3 (October 9, 2024): Top 84 – 9 Duels
Week 4 (October 16, 2024): Top 75 – 8 Duels
Week 5 (October 23, 2024): Top 67 – 8 Duels
Week 6 (November 6, 2024): Top 59 – 9 Duels
Week 7 (November 13, 2024): Top 50 – 8 Duels
Week 8 (November 20, 2024): Top 42 – 8 Duels
Week 9 (November 28, 2024): Top 34 – 9 Duels
Week 10 (December 4, 2024): Top 25 – 8 Duels
Week 11 (December 11, 2024): Top 17 – 8 Duels
Week 12 (December 18, 2024): Top 9 – 9 Duels
Season 3
Week 1 (February 9, 2025): Top 100 – 8 Duels
Week 2 (February 12, 2025): Top 92 – 8 Duels
Week 3 (February 19, 2025): Top 84 – 9 Duels
Week 4 (February 26, 2025): Top 75 – 8 Duels
Week 5 (March 5, 2025): Top 67 – 8 Duels
Week 6 (March 12, 2025): Top 59 – 9 Duels
Week 7 (March 19, 2025): Top 50 – 8 Duels
Week 8 (March 26, 2025): Top 42 – 8 Duels
Week 9 (April 2, 2025): Top 34 – 9 Duels
Week 10 (April 9, 2025): Top 25 – 8 Duels
Week 11 (April 16, 2025): Top 17 – 8 Duels
Week 12 (April 23, 2025): Top 9 – 10 Duels
Season 4
Week 1 (September 24, 2025): Top 100 – 8 Duels
Week 2 (October 1, 2025): Top 92 – 8 Duels
At the beginning of this episode, one square was designated as the Golden Square of the season, which will reward $10,000 to the winner once the category from that square is challenged. The Golden Square twist is over once the golden square is found.
Week 3 (October 8, 2025): Top 84 – 9 Duels
Week 4 (October 15, 2025): Top 75 – 9 Duels
Week 5 (October 22, 2025): Top 66 – 8 Duels
Week 6 (November 5, 2025): Top 58 – 8 Duels
Week 7 (November 12, 2025): Top 50 – 9 Duels
Week 8 (November 19, 2025): Top 41 – 9 Duels
Week 9 (December 3, 2025): Top 32 – 8 Duels
Week 10 (December 10, 2025): Top 24 – 8 Duels
Week 11 Part 1 (December 17, 2025): Top 16 – 8 Duels
Note: No $20,000 prize was awarded this episode, and the finale was instead two combined parts. When both parts began and ended is noted below.
Week 11 Part 2 (December 17, 2025): Top 8 – 8 Duels
Season 5
Week 1 Part 1 (April 8, 2026): Top 100 – 8 Duels
Week 1 Part 2 (April 8, 2026): Top 92 – 8 Duels
Week 2 (April 15, 2026): Top 84 – 9 Duels
Week 3 (April 22, 2026): Top 75 – 8 Duels
Week 4 (April 29, 2026): Top 67 – 8 Duels
Week 5 (May 6, 2026): Top 59 – 9 Duels
Week 6 (May 13, 2026): Top 50 – 8 Duels
Week 7 (May 20, 2026): Top 42 – 8 Duels
Week 8 (May 27, 2026): Top 34 – 9 Duels
Week 9 (June 3, 2026): Top 25 – 8 Duels
Week 10 Part 1 (June 10, 2026): Top 17 – 9 Duels
Week 10 Part 2 (June 10, 2026): Top 8 – 9 Duels
Season 6
Week 1 (September 13, 2026): Top 100 – TBA Duels
Week 2 (September 30, 2026): Top TBA – TBA Duels
Episodes
Season 1 (2024)
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by challenger).
Season 2 (2024)
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by Challenger). Time boosts earned are shown in Italics. Time boosts used are shown in Underline.
Season 3 (2025)
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by Challenger). Time boosts earned are shown in Italics. Time boosts used are shown in Underline.
Season 4 (2025)
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by Challenger). Advantages earned are shown in Italics (the specific advantage is in parentheses). Advantages used are shown in Underline.
Season 5 (2026)
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by Challenger). Advantages earned are shown in Italics (the specific advantage is in parentheses). Advantages used are shown in Underline.
Season 6
Winners of individual duels are shown in boldface shown as Challenger (randomized or choosing to play on)/Defender (chosen by Challenger). Advantages earned are shown in Italics (the specific advantage is in parentheses). Advantages used are shown in Underline.
Reception
Ratings
Season 3's post-Super Bowl LIX premiere of The Floor delivered 14 million total viewers, and is the season's No. 1 entertainment series telecast for ages 18–49. The Floor is the first game show to ever rank as a season's No. 1 entertainment series telecast among adults 18–49.
