Law & Order: SVU season 27 – Release date speculation and news
The long-running procedural show has been on air since 1999 – but when will it be back?
The 26th season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) has now finished airing in the US, but thankfully fans don't need to worry this is the last time we've seen the long-running procedural.
The show, which due to a long break in the original Law & Order series's run has more episodes than any other show in Dick Wolf's franchise, has already been renewed for season 27.
SVU stars Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson and Ice-T as Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola will both be back, but there will be some other cast changes, with two major figures leaving and one fan-favourite making a full-time return.
But what else do we know about the new season and when can we expect to see it? Read on for everything you need to know about Law & Order: SVU season 27.
Will there be a Law & Order: SVU season 27?
There will! Law & Order: SVU was officially renewed for season 27 in May 2025, although it was a decision which was fully expected some time before that.
In April 2025 the series appointed a new showrunner, Michele Fazekas, the first time a woman has held that role on the show. She will take over from David Graziano for season 27.
The official renewal came through at the same time as a renewal for the original Law & Order series, which will head into its 25th season (that show was at one point cancelled and off air between 2010 and 2022).
When will Law & Order: SVU season 27 be released?
We don't yet know exactly when Law & Order: SVU season 27 will start airing, but we can look to previous seasons for guidance.
Almost all of the show's new runs have started airing on NBC in the US in September or October, with season 25 being a notable outlier due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Given this, we would expect season 27 to start airing around September or October 2025 in the US.
Meanwhile, in the UK, season 26 started airing in April and is still airing weekly now. We would expect that season 27 will follow a fairly similar timeline, suggesting it could start airing in of April 2026 on Sky Witness.
We will keep this page updated with any more news regarding season 27's release date as we get it.
Who will return to star in Law & Order: SVU season 27?
While long-time stars such as Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T will be back for season 27, there are a couple of cast members who are not expected to return as series regulars.
It was announced ahead of the show's official renewal that neither Kate Silva star Juliana Aidén Martinez nor Joe Velasco star Octavio Pisano will be back, although it was not immediately clear if the decision was made for creative reasons, if it was a financial decision, or if it was both, according to Deadline.
In more positive news, there is also one long-time star returning to the show as a series regular after departing in season 24 and subsequently only making guest appearances.
Kelli Giddish is officially returning as a series regular, reprising her role as fan-favourite character Amanda Rollins role.
Given this news, these are the central cast members we are expecting to see return for Law & Order: SVU season 27:
- Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
- Ice-T as Odafin "Fin" Tutuola
- Peter Scanavino as Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr
- Kevin Kane as Detective Terry Bruno
- Kelli Giddish as Amanda Rollins
Is there a trailer for Law & Order: SVU season 27?
There isn't a trailer for Law & Order: SVU season 27 yet, but we will make sure to update this page once one becomes available.
For now you can watch the trailer for the season 26 finale right here.
Law & Order: SVU airs on Sky Witness in the UK.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
