2020 Democratic debates lineup: Biden to share stage with Sanders, Harris, and Buttigieg — but not Warren

Joe Biden will face off with Bernie Sanders in a crowded second night of debates, while Elizabeth Warren finds herself as the top candidate in night one

(Getty Images)

The lineup for the first 2020 Democratic debates has been set, with some high profile match-ups concentrated on one of the two nights as the nearly two dozen candidates compete for support.

The debates will be held across two nights in Miami, with a total of 20 candidates in the mix. The lineup for each night was determined by lottery, and is not reflective of standing in the race.

The first night, 26 June, will see Elizabeth Warren sharing the stage with other leading candidates Cory Booker, and Beto O'Rourke, alongside seven other candidates who are vying for a moment in the spotlight amid the crowded field.

On the second, just a day later, we can expect some real fireworks when Joe Biden faces off with the other leading candidates: Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg. Six other, lesser known, candidates will also share that stage.

Here is a full list of the candidates for each night:

Night 1: Ms Warren, Mr Booker, Mr O'Rourke, Julian Castro, Amy Klobuchar, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Tim Ryan, Bill de Blasio, Jay Inslee.

Night 2: Mr Biden, Mr Sanders, Ms Harris, Mr Buttigieg, Michael Bennet, Marianne Williamson, Eric Swalwell, Kirsten Gillibrand, Andrew Yang, John Hickenlooper.

The 2020 candidates qualified for the Democratic National Committee debates in a couple of ways: By receiving 65,000 individual contributions, or by receiving 1 per cent support in at least three polls acknowledged by the party.

A handful of the candidates qualified on both accounts, including the front-runners like Mr Biden, Mr Sanders, Ms Warren, Mr Buttigieg, and Ms Harris.