Dancing With the Stars sets first-ever Super Bowl Night for season 35

Announcement on Good Morning America

Judge Derek Hough unveiled Dancing With the Stars' first Super Bowl-themed episode during a Wednesday appearance on Good Morning America. ABC confirmed the episode will air on Oct. 13 and be billed as "Super Bowl Night," set for the season's fifth week of competition. The announcement came a day after the Sept. 29 Yacht Rock Night episode, which eliminated Hanson frontman Taylor Hanson and his partner Britt Stewart.

Format and theme

The Oct. 13 broadcast is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET, with the 11 remaining couples performing routines set to songs drawn from past Super Bowl halftime shows, including Prince's 2007 performance and Beyoncé's 2013 set. The episode will "honor the music, spectacle and unforgettable moments of the big game," according to a release shared with Entertainment Weekly.

Connection to Super Bowl LXI

Super Bowl Night is part of ABC and ESPN's wider push toward Super Bowl LXI, the first Super Bowl whose broadcast rights sit with Disney-owned outlets. The championship game is set for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, though the participating clubs remain undetermined because the NFL season began only earlier this month.

Other theme nights this season

Super Bowl Night slots into a season 35 lineup that already includes Mariah Carey Night the following week, Dedication Night on Oct. 20, and Horror Movie Night on Oct. 27, with Disney Night and Grammy Night also planned. Three weeks of competition had, by the announcement, established Olympian Amber Glenn, Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Dewan as frontrunners, lifted Paralympian Ezra Frech, Tatyana Ali and Maura Higgins as contenders, and left other contestants under pressure.

What's next

Viewers will see the Super Bowl Night episode on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 8:00 p.m. ET, followed by Dedication Night on Oct. 20 and Horror Movie Night on Oct. 27 as season 35 continues toward its finale.