Nene Royal has won Season 21 of America’s Got Talent, securing the $1 million prize after edging out runner-up Geno Ploeger during the two-night finale on NBC.
The long-running reality competition concluded its latest chapter on September 23, 2026, wrapping up a summer run that featured a new format, multiple guest judges, and a shake-up at the judges’ desk.
Nene Royal Captures the Season 21 Crown and $1 Million Prize
The competition narrowed down to the final two acts after Nene Royal and Geno Ploeger survived rounds of audience votes and semifinal eliminations. Royal, a 16-year-old Thai singer and guitarist crowned as the winner, outperformed a Top 10 lineup that included robotic dance group Unitree, magic troupe Hundred Fingers, and aerialist Veronika Goroshkova.
The AGT season 21 champ wins a $1 million annuity, with the winner taking home a $1 million cash prize along with the coveted AGT title.
The 2026 edition unfolded across two nights, with the Top 10 finalists taking the stage on September 22 for their final performances as they competed for America’s votes, followed by the results show on September 23.
Simon Cowell Misses Live Shows Following Back Surgery
Season 21 unfolded with a major change at the judges’ table. Regular judge Simon Cowell missed the latest episodes while recovering from injuries. The season began with Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B and Sofia Vergara, but the past several weeks Simon has been MIA as he recovers from back surgery.
“AGT” kicked off Season 21 back in June, with judge Simon Cowell welcoming USA TODAY into his home to discuss the season ahead.
This year, more than ever, I wanted to see things we'd never seen before, and better,
he said of finding new talent each year. We say, 'What are you going to do?' And they go, 'Trust me, you've never seen this before.' And that's always a great way to start. Because I can't bear seeing worse versions of what we've already seen. That's, for me, a waste of time.
During Cowell’s absence, a rotating group of guest stars filled the vacant seat. Guest judges included Kenan Thompson and Heidi Klum, while Britain’s Got Talent judge KSI stepped in to sit alongside Mel B, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel.
How the Top 10 Reached the Finale
The journey to the September 23 finale involved a mix of format adjustments, including a brand new Judges’ Callback round after weeks of thrilling auditions. The live shows kicked off in late August, which saw magic group Hundred Fingers, singer Lai Noelle, singer/musician Nene Royal and robot act Unitree all earn Golden Buzzers for their performances, sending them straight to the finale.
The Top 10 finalists were: Acro Canine Crew (also referred to as Acro Canine Dance Crew), Come Here Dance (or Come Here), Geno Ploeger, Olivia Befus, Royal Lasers, Veronika Goroshkova, Hundred Fingers, Lai Noelle, Nene Royal and Unitree.
The semifinals for America’s Got Talent featured performances from 12 artists hoping to be voted through by America to make the finale. Scheduled acts included dancing dog act Acro Canine Crew, Portuguese comedy singer Cesar Dias, Korean dance troupe Come Here, stand-up comedian Daniel Alvarez, magician Geno Ploeger, Canadian magician Kameron Marshall, rapper Luke Taleno, dog act Olivia Befus, dance group Royal Lasers, singer Travis Garland, aerialist Veronika Goroshkova, and English comedy-magic duo Young & Strange.
Royal Lasers, Hundred Fingers, Veronika Goroshkova, Nene Royal and Geno Ploeger made it into the Top 5. Linkin Park, Josh Groban, REI AMI, Chloe Flower, last year’s winner Jessica Sanchez and Steve Aoki performed with Top 10 acts during the finale, while Lele Pons returned to chat as the backstage live TikTok correspondent, and teen social media star Taylen Biggs sat for interviews with cast and contestants.
As the final results were revealed by host Terry Crews, Nene Royal edged out Geno Ploeger to win the $1 million prize, leaving Geno Ploeger to finish as the first runner-up.
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