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MTV’s long-running reality competition The Challenge is back for its 42nd season, and it’s bringing back one of the franchise’s most brutal formats: Cutthroat.
Season 42 premieres on August 5, 2026, marking the show’s first-ever move off MTV to stream exclusively via Paramount+. 24 competitors, split into three teams, battle across Thailand for a share of a $500,000 prize.
New episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays. Here’s everything you need to know to watch The Challenge: Cutthroat Season 42 in Ireland.
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Season 42 is a Paramount+ exclusive, and for the first time, new episodes are not simulcast weekly on MTV outside the US.
While Paramount+ does have an Irish version of the app, its library is far smaller than the US one, and The Challenge is not included in the Irish catalogue.
To stream it the same day it drops, you’ll need a US Paramount+ account accessed through a VPN, along with a paid US subscription ($13.99/mo or $8.99/mo).
Here’s how:
Step 1: Subscribe to a VPN service (Surfshark is the best VPN)
Step 2: Download and install the Surfshark VPN App on your device
Step 3: Open the app and connect to the US Server.
Step 4: Go to the Paramount+ website and click Try it for Free
Step 5: Enter your subscription plan and click Continue
Step 6: Enter your details to create an account
Step 7: Add your payment info
Step 8: Search for The Challenge and choose the episode to enjoy streaming
You can also watch The Challenge on mobile through free streaming websites using your device’s browser. Since these sites are unofficial, use a VPN to keep your streaming activity private from your ISP. Here’s how:
Step 1: Install Surfshark VPN App and connect to the US Server.
Step 2: Open the soap2day.day OR myflixerfree.org/ website and click on the search bar
Step 3: Search for The Challenge and choose the show
Step 4: Choose Season 42 and the episode you want to watch
Step 5: Enjoy free streaming. (New episodes will drop here shortly after their official release)
The Challenge: Cutthroat — Season 42
Contestants
24
Premieres
Aug 5, 2026
Prize Pool
$500,000
Filmed entirely in Thailand, Season 42 revives the franchise’s Cutthroat format, first introduced back in Season 20.
Twenty-four competitors are split into three teams, and the only way to actually collect a share of the prize is to cross the finish line together as a unit.
Nominated team captains must balance their hunger for individual glory with the need for loyalty, or risk losing their power, while solo players must prove they can be team players or lose their shot at the winnings.
Season 42 brings back a wave of franchise legends alongside newcomers from across the reality TV world. Here’s who’s in the cast:
| Cast | ||||||
| Returning Challenge Vets | ||||||
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| New to The Challenge | ||||||
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1. Where does The Challenge: Cutthroat film?
Season 42 was filmed entirely in Thailand, with the country’s beaches, jungles, and mountainous terrain serving as the backdrop for the competition.
2. When does The Challenge: Cutthroat Season 42 premiere?
Season 42 premieres on August 5, 2026, with new episodes dropping weekly on Wednesdays.
3. Is The Challenge: Cutthroat still airing on MTV?
No. Season 42 marks the first time the flagship series is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ rather than airing weekly on MTV.
4. What does the “Cutthroat” format mean?
Cutthroat splits the 24 competitors into three teams. Prize money can only be collected if a team crosses the finish line together, and the winning captain decides how it’s split among teammates.
The season marks the franchise’s biggest shake-up in nearly three decades, moving the flagship show off MTV to stream exclusively on Paramount+ for the first time. Season 42 pits 24 competitors, split into three ruthless teams, against each other across Thailand for a shot at $500,000.
You can watch The Challenge: Cutthroat Season 42 in Ireland on Paramount+ US or on an unofficial free streaming website. However, you must use a reliable VPN, like Surfshark, to bypass geo-restrictions and hide your streaming activity from your ISP.
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