When RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered on LogoTV in 2009, it was a small-but-mighty show with a global future on its horizon. The show notably moved to VH1 in 2017, signifying its rising TV notoriety. On Jan. 6, Drag Race will premiere for the first time on MTV, a third move that proves in its 15th season is only getting bigger and better.
In the years since its debut over a decade ago, the Drag Race franchise has expanded to international editions from nearly every corner of the globe, plus numerous spin-offs stateside. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of Drag Race shows, don’t worry. Here’s a comprehensive guide to international series in the DRU (Drag Race universe), the majority of which are available to stream right now on the WOWPresentsPlus streaming service.
Hosts: Art Arya & Pangina Heals
Judges: Art Arya & Pangina Heals
Drag Race Thailand was many Drag Race fans’ first introduction to drag outside the US, as contestants from all over Southeast Asia came to compete on the intense competition series. Thai fashion icon Art Arya host the show with Pangina Heals (who later went on to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. The World) acting as co-host. The show has some of the most jaw-dropping runway presentations in the Drag Race universe and exciting tweaks to the Drag Race formula but keeps the series’ penchant for drama, of course.
Host: RuPaul
Judges: Michelle Visage, Graham Norton, and Alan Carr
As the first international Drag Race series RuPaul hosts, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK brings together the most talented queens from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to compete for a crown fit for the late Queen Elizabeth. On the judges panel, Ru is joined by his right-hand woman, Michelle Visage, as well as UK TV personalities Graham Norton and Alan Carr.
Hosts & Judges: Brooke Lynn Hytes (S1-3), Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman (S1), Stacey MacKenzie (S1), Amanda Brugel (S2), Brad Goreski (S2-3), and Traci Melchor (S2-3)
Brooke Lynn Hytes made herstory as the first Canadian to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019. In 2020, she made herstory once again as the first RuGirl to host her own Drag Race spinoff. On Canada’s Drag Race, Brooke Lynn shares hosting and judging duties with her squirrelfriends on the judges’ panel.
Host: Fred van Leer
Judges: Nikkie Plessen (S1), Carlo Boszhard (S2)
In 2020, Dutch drag queen Fred van Leer was tapped to host Drag Race Holland, which brings together talented queens from the Netherlands and Belgium. The show has seen famous Dutch stars like NikkieTutorials sit behind the table as guest judges.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under
Host: RuPaul
Judges: Michelle Visage & Rhys Nicholson
Rather than enlist Aussie RuGirl Courtney Act as the host of Drag Race Down Under, RuPaul goes Down Under to find the next drag superstar of Australia and New Zealand. Kylie Minogue lip-syncs abound in this version of Drag Race, which first premiered in 2021. The legendary pop diva even made a guest appearance in Season 1.
Host: Supremme De Luxe
Judges: Ana Locking, Javier Calvo, and Javier Ambrossi
Drag Race España is a uniquely Spanish affair that first premiered in 2021. It’s complete with lip syncs to songs by Rosalía, La Veneno, Rocío Dúrcal, and Luz Casal. Longtime Spanish drag queen Supremme De Luxe hosts, while Veneno creators Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi share the judges’ panel with fashion designer Ana Locking. Come for the Veneno-themed episode judged by Paca La Piraña, stay for the Gloria Trevi lip sync in front of Trevi herself.
Host: Priscilla
Judges: Tommaso Zorzi & Chiara Francini
Ciao, bella! Drag Race Italia takes Drag Race fans to the Stivale as veteran drag queen Priscilla hosts and mentors Italy’s top drag queens. Drag Race Italia, which premiered in 2021, is an especially powerful series created at a time when LGBTQ+ Italians continue to face discrimination and the threat of a government lacking support.
Host: Nicky Doll
Judges: Kiddy Smile and Daphné Bürkí
Nicky Doll proved that losing is the new winning by becoming the host of Drag Race France in her home country in 2022. Prior to this, she appeared on Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Nicky is a nurturing mother to the French queens who look up to her for what accomplished stateside. Guest judges include fashion legend Jean Paul Gaultier and Miss Universe winner Iris Mittenaere.
Host: Paolo Ballesteros
Judges: Jiggly Caliente & KaladKaren
Drag Race has many Filipino queens compete over the years, so it was only a matter of time before the Philippines got their own version of the show. Debuting in 2022, Drag Race Philippines seamlessly jumps between English and Tagalog while celebrating everything about Filipino culture. Famed Filipino drag queen Paolo Ballesteros (a.k.a. Mama Pao) hosts, while RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Jiggly Caliente and TV personality KaladKaren join on the judges’ panel. Guest judges range from Miss Universe winner Pia Wurtzbach and singer Regine Velasquez-Alcasid to YouTuber and makeup mogul PatrickStarrr.
Host: Rita Baga
Judges: TBA
Belgium-based queens have competed on Drag Race Holland and Drag Race España before, now they’re getting their own show. In 2022, Canada’s Drag Race finalist Rita Baga was announced as the host of Belgium’s own Drag Race spinoff, Drag Race Belgique. Rita spent several years in Belgium as a student and is scheduled to coach the queens through the competition. A premiere date has not been announced.
Host: Robert Fux
Judges: TBA
Start your engines, Sweden! Drag Race Sverige marks the first Drag Race spinoff in Scandinavia, and it’s set to air sometime in 2023. Swedish drag performer Robert Fux has been recruited as the show’s host.
Host: TBA
Judges: TBA
Drag Race fans have been clamoring for a Brazilian version of the show for years, and they finally got their wish in 2022 when casting was announced for Drag Race Brazil. Details on the show remain light, including the show’s host. Famous Brazilian drag queens Pabllo Vittar and Gloria Groove already have drag TV shows of their own. Could they come aboard the Drag Race franchise? Only time will tell.
Host: TBA
Judges: TBA
Mexico is another country where Drag Race fans have been hoping gets its own Drag Race spinoff, and World of Wonder confirmed in 2022 that Drag Race Mexico is on its way. No word on who will host yet, but RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favorite Valentina and Drag Race France alum Lolita Banana should definitely be in the running.
Host: Karla Constant
Judges: Nicole Gaultier (S1-2), Íngrid Cruz (S1-2), Juan Pablo González (S1), and Oscar Mediavilla (S2)
Perhaps the most unique entry in the Drag Race universe, The Switch Drag Race combines elements of singing, dancing, and live performance as the judges and coaches look for the Spanish-speaking queens who can deliver world-class entertainment on a world stage. The show, which last aired in 2018, began as a search for the next drag superstar in Chile, with the field expanding to Spanish speakers from around the world in its second season. Former contestants include RuPaul’s Drag Race queens Gia Gunn and Kandy Ho.
The question is: which country will be the next to join the Race?