The competition will have idols including the winner of American Idol 2002 Kelly Clarkson battling it out in a two-part global television event beginning on Christmas Day and concluding on New Year's Day, 2004. The World Idol competition will precisely bring together 11 Pop Idol winners from different nations.

To be taped in London, World Idol will feature Clarkson, Canadian Idol winner Ryan Malcolm, UK winner Will Young, Jordanian Diana Karzon, South Africa's Heinz Winckler, the five national winners from European countries - Netherlands (Jamai Loman), Germany (Alexander Klaws), Poland (Alicja Janosz), Norway (Kurt Nilsen) and Belgium (Peter Evrard). Upcoming winner of Australian Idol will also participate in the competition.

A panel of 11 judges, one from each country, will give the contestants feedback on their performance, although no judges have been named yet. FremantleMedia and 19TV, the producers of Pop Idol , will produce World Idol as well.

Media reports from the US specify that after the show airs in a country, Fox phone lines will be open for 24 hours - but viewers will not be permitted to vote for their own country's Idol winner. US voting will open at 10 pm on Christmas Day and carry over for 24 hours.