The “Fly Team” is officially cleared for takeoff once again. Following a period of intense speculation regarding the future of the FBI franchise at CBS, the network has confirmed that FBI: International Season 5 will anchor the 2026–2027 television season. While the renewal brings a sigh of relief to fans who have followed the elite team across the European continent, the announcement comes with a series of caveats. The 2026 landscape for the series looks vastly different than it did at its inception, and the twists currently unfolding in the latter half of Season 4 suggest that the show is preparing for its most significant evolution yet.
The 2026 Renewal Strategy
The confirmation of Season 5 is a strategic victory for Wolf Entertainment. In an era where broadcast networks are slashing budgets and favoring domestic procedurals to save on location costs, FBI: International remains a unique—and expensive—asset. Filming primarily in Budapest and across various European capitals gives the show a cinematic scale that sets it apart from its New York-based siblings.
By renewing the series for 2026, CBS is leaning into the “global procedural” niche. However, industry insiders suggest that the Season 5 order may come with “structural adjustments.” This likely means a more concentrated filming schedule or a shift in how the production utilizes its European hubs to maximize efficiency. Despite these behind-the-scenes tweaks, the core mission remains: neutralizing threats to American interests on foreign soil.
The “Smitty” Factor and Leadership Shifts
The most talked-about twist heading into 2026 involves the team’s leadership and its relationship with Europol. Since the departure of Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank) in late Season 3, the show has been in a state of flux. The introduction of Wes Mitchell (Jesse Lee Soffer) brought a new, more impulsive energy to the Fly Team in Season 4, but Season 5 hints suggest another layer of complexity.
Rumors are swirling that Megan “Smitty” Garretson (Eva-Jane Willis), the indispensable Europol liaison, may see her role undergo a massive transformation. Season 5 plot teasers indicate that Smitty might be forced to choose between her loyalty to the Fly Team and a high-ranking promotion within Europol that would take her away from the field. If Smitty moves into a bureaucratic role, the team loses its most vital bridge to local European law enforcement, creating a vacuum that would define the drama of the 2026 episodes.
Plot Twists: The Global Conspiracy
Narratively, FBI: International is moving away from “case-of-the-week” storytelling and toward a more serialized, high-stakes conspiracy arc. The final episodes of the current 2025–2026 run have introduced a shadowy organization operating within the shadows of the European Union—a group that has successfully compromised several US embassies.
Season 5 is expected to center on this “internal rot.” Unlike previous seasons where the enemy was a rogue terrorist or a lone cyber-criminal, the 2026 arc suggests the Fly Team will be hunted from within. This “hunted” dynamic will force Wes Mitchell and Raines to operate “off the grid,” a shift in tone that brings a grittier, Bourne Identity-style vibe to the procedural format.
Cast Stability vs. New Blood
As of February 2026, the primary cast—Jesse Lee Soffer (Wes Mitchell), Carter Redwood (Andre Raines), Vinessa Vidotto (Cameron Vo), and Christina Wolfe (Amanda Tate)—are all expected to return for the new season. However, the “bigger changes” hinted at by producers involve the introduction of a new permanent liaison from a non-European agency, possibly a CIA operative who will act as a recurring bridge to the upcoming spin-off, FBI: CIA.
This integration is part of CBS’s broader plan to keep the FBI universe interconnected even as the shows move to different nights of the week. While the “All-FBI Tuesday” may be a thing of the past, the narrative DNA remains shared.
The 2026 Premiere Window
Fans can expect FBI: International Season 5 to premiere in late September 2026. The show will likely continue its residence on Tuesday nights, though its specific time slot remains a subject of debate as CBS reshuffles its late-night drama offerings.
The upcoming season represents a “sink or swim” moment for the international branch of the franchise. With the original FBI already secured through Season 9, International must prove that its high production value and global stakes translate into the consistent ratings CBS demands in this new “reset” era. If the Season 5 twists land as intended, the Fly Team will not only survive but redefine what a global procedural can be.
