Match Game: release date, host and everything we know about the game show

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Martin Short hosts this revival of the classic game show for ABC.

Martin Short on Match Game
Martin Short, Match Game (Image credit: Disney/Jan Thijs)

Fill in the blank, ABC’s Match Game is… back. The classic game show that originally dates back to the 1960s is getting another iteration with a brand-new host. But viewers should expect the same basic game that often makes for some hilarious moments.

Match Game joins a lineup of game shows on ABC this summer, including Celebrity Family Feud season 11, Press Your Luck season 6 and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire season 4; more game shows are also airing on Fox, including The 1% Club season 2 and The Quiz with Balls season 2.

But if you want to get all the info you need about this new version of Match Game, read on below.

Match Game release date

Match Game premieres on ABC on Wednesday, July 23, at 9 pm ET/PT. It airs immediately after Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

To watch Match Game live, you need access to your local ABC station, whether that be through a traditional pay-TV provider, a TV antenna or a live TV streaming service, such as Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

The game show will also stream on-demand, with the latest episodes of Match Game making their way to Hulu the day after they air on TV.

Match Game host

Comedy legend, Emmy winner (recent Emmy nominee) and current star of Only Murders in the Building, Martin Short, is the new host for Match Game. He also serves as an executive producer on the game show.

Short famously got his start on SCTV, but has been a star of TV and movies, including Saturday Night Live (as host and cast member), Primetime Glick, The Three Amigos, Father of the Bride and Schmigadoon.

Short joins a list of previous hosts for the game show that includes Gene Rayburn, Bert Convy, Charlene Tilton, Rickie Lake and Alec Baldwin.

Match Game gameplay

Match Game is pretty simple: two contestants compete head to head to try and match the answer to a fill-in-the-blank question among a group of celebrity panelists. Whoever gets the most correct matches moves on for the chance to win $25,000.

Each hour-long episode will consist of two games.

Match Game celebrity panelists

Here’s a look at what celebrities will be participating in Match Game this season:

  • Anthony Anderson
  • Cara Delevingne
  • Ana Gasteyer
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kevin Nealon
  • Randall Park
  • Jay Pharoah
  • Caroline Rhea
  • Phoebe Robinson
  • BD Wong
  • Constance Zimmer
  • Ziwe
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Michael Balderston
Michael Balderston
Assistant Managing Editor

Michael Balderston is What to Watch’s assistant managing editor and lead movie writer, , writing movie reviews and highlighting new and classic movies on streaming services; he also covers a range of TV shows, including those in the Taylor Sheridan universe, Slow Horses, Only Murders in the Building, Jeopardy!, Saturday Night Live and more, as well as the best ways to watch some major US sporting events.

Based outside of Washington, D.C., Michael's previous experience includes writing for Awards Circuit, TV Technology and The Wrap.

Michael’s favorite movie of all time is Casablanca, while his favorite TV show is Seinfeld. Some 2025 favorites include Sinners, One of Them Days and Black Bag for movies, and The Pitt on TV. Follow on Michael Balderston on Letterboxd.

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