Survivor season 48 premiere recap: Contestants get acquainted while first elimination takes place

Survivor season 48 premiered on February 26, 2026, with an episode titled The Get to Know You Game. 18 players arrived in Fiji to compete for the title of Sole Survivor and the million-dollar prize. They were divided into three tribes: Civa, Lagi, and Vula. Contestants started making alliances, playing challenges, and planning for the first vote.

The episode showed how the tribes interacted while they built camp and took part in the game. Host Jeff Probst introduced the first challenge, where they worked together to complete tasks. Some players got hurt, and others formed plans to stay safe.

The premiere episode of Survivor season 48 introduced an obstacle course challenge, Kevin’s shoulder injury, and a cryptic idol hunt that put Sai in a tough spot. Meanwhile, Joe formed a close bond with Eva, and a new alliance emerged in Lagi. In the end, Vula lost the first immunity challenge, leading to Stephanie’s elimination in a 4-1 vote.

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Kevin Leung's shoulder injury in Survivor season 48

The premiere started off with a physically demanding challenge, where the tribes had to crawl through mud, retrieve chests, and land sandbags onto perches. Lagi completed the challenge first, securing essential camp supplies. Meanwhile, Vula struggled, with Kevin injuring his shoulder, forcing him to sit out.

"I either am going to fail again... or I can change my fate around," Kevin reflected.

Despite his setback, Kevin was later selected to compete in a secondary challenge against Kyle from Civa, where they raced to unlock a series of keys.

“I trained for this, but once I hurt my shoulder, all bets are off,” Kevin said.

During this challenge in Survivor season 48, Kyle made a mistake, shattering his glass jug, which handed the victory to Kevin. Instead of dwelling on his loss, Kyle chose to assist Kevin in finishing his task, a moment that stood out for both competitors.

Meanwhile, at camp, early alliances formed as contestants observed whom they could trust. Thomas, Shauhin, and Joe bonded over shared experiences, naming their alliance "The California Girls."

At Civa, David found himself seen as a leader due to his physicality, though he remained uncertain whether that perception would help or hurt him. Over at Vula, Sai secured an early four-person alliance, forming a pact with Cedrek, Justin, and Kevin, though Kevin was unaware of his inclusion.

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Joe Hunter's gameplay during the challenge

As contestants searched for advantages, Sai discovered a Beware Advantage that contained a cryptic puzzle requiring her to find letters hidden around camp. Without her knowing, David at Civa had already uncovered a piece of the puzzle, consisting of symbols and strings wrapped around trees that, when deciphered, would provide the necessary code.

Eventually, Sai, with help from Kevin and Cedrek, unlocked her idol by unscrambling the letters hidden within Vula’s camp. At Lagi, Star searched for an idol, while Eva confided in Joe about being autistic. She explained how she might need assistance during high-pressure moments, and Joe reassured her, pledging his support.

"Even if that hurts my game, whatever. If I gotta go home early, I'm not gonna let her down," he told her.

Meanwhile, Civa and Lagi secured immunity in the first challenge of Survivor season 48, sending Vula to the Tribal Council. Before Tribal Council, tensions emerged between Sai and Stephanie.

Stephanie took responsibility for failing the puzzle portion of the challenge, but Sai redirected blame toward herself. Mary attempted to shift votes onto Sai, needing Kevin and Justin’s support, but their votes remained uncertain.

At Tribal Council, Stephanie played her Shot in the Dark, hoping for safety, but the risk did not pay off. In a 4-1 vote, with only Mary voting for Sai, Stephanie became the first player eliminated from Survivor season 48.

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Watch new episodes of Survivor season 48 airing every Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.