| 2026 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | Major League Baseball |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | March 25 – September 27, 2026 |
| Number of games | 162 |
| Number of teams | 30 |
| TV partner(s) | Fox/FS1 TBS MLB Network |
| Streaming partner(s) | HBO Max Apple TV+ |
| Draft | |
| Regular season | |
| Postseason | |
| World Series | |
The 2026 Major League Baseball season is scheduled to begin on March 25 with a single night game featuring the San Francisco Giants hosting the New York Yankees before the regular season proper runs from March 26 to September 27. The 96th All-Star Game is scheduled for July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies. [1]
Major League Baseball released its 2026 schedule on August 26, 2025. Each team will play 162 regular season games. As has been the case since 2025, each team was scheduled to play 13 games against their division rivals, totaling 52 games. Each team would play six games against eight opponents and seven games against two opponents in the same league for a total of 62 games. Each team would also play 48 interleague games, including a six-game home-and-home series against their designated interleague rival. The regular season is scheduled to open on March 25, with a standalone night game featuring the San Francisco Giants hosting the New York Yankees. The slate of Opening Day games will then take place on March 26, the earliest that it has been scheduled in MLB history. This season's "Rivalry Weekend" is planned on May 15–17. [1] The scheduled return of the London Series was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts at London Stadium and Fox's availability due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. [2]
The 96th All-Star Game is scheduled for July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies. The game will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. [1]
A Subway Series matchup between the two New York City baseball teams, the Mets and the Yankees will be played at Yankee Stadium on September 11–13 to mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. [1] [3] The two teams squared off at Citi Field for the 20th anniversary. [3]
On September 23, 2025, MLB's competition committee approved use of the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), beginning with the 2026 season. Under the approved plan, batters, pitchers, and catchers are allowed to request challenges by tapping on their helmet or cap. Each team starts with two challenges, retains a challenge if it is successful, and receives additional challenges in extra innings. [4]
The Athletics will play their June 8–14 homestand at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin South, Nevada, the home of their Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, as a preview for their eventual relocation to Las Vegas. [1]
It is expected that the Tampa Bay Rays will return to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, which had been damaged by Hurricane Milton, forcing the team to play their 2025 home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. [5]
| Team | Special occasion |
|---|---|
| All Teams | Jackie Robinson Day (April 15) |
| Pink Ribbons for breast cancer awareness (May 10, Mother's Day) | |
| Patch for Armed Forces Day (May 16) and Camouflage caps for Armed Force's Day Weekend (May 15–17) | |
| Poppy for Memorial Day (May 25) | |
| #4 patch for Lou Gehrig Day (June 1) | |
| "Play Ball" patch in partnership with USA Baseball and USA Softball (June 12–14) | |
| Blue Ribbons for prostate cancer (June 21, Father's Day) | |
| National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum logo patches (July 17–19) | |
| Gold Ribbons for childhood cancer (September 1) | |
| #21 patch for Roberto Clemente Day (September 15) | |
| "MLB Debut" patch for players who play their first Major League game | |
| Gold "batterman" patch for previous season's winners of the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards | |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 25th Anniversary of 2001 World Series Championship |
| Atlanta Braves | 60th Anniversary Season |
| Baltimore Orioles | 60th Anniversary of 1966 World Series Championship |
| Chicago Cubs | 10th Anniversary of 2016 World Series Championship |
| Cincinnati Reds | 50th Anniversary of 1976 World Series Championship |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 45th Anniversary of 1981 World Series Championship |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 25th Anniversary of American Family Field |
| Minnesota Twins | 35th Anniversary of 1991 World Series Championship |
| New York Mets | 40th Anniversary of 1986 World Series Championship |
| New York Yankees | 70th Anniversary of 1956 World Series Championship |
| 65th Anniversary of 1961 World Series Championship | |
| 30th Anniversary of 1996 World Series Championship | |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 25th Anniversary of PNC Park |
| 55th Anniversary of 1971 World Series Championship | |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 20th Anniversary of 2006 World Series Championship |
| 15th Anniversary of 2011 World Series Championship |
In February 2025, ESPN and MLB announced that both parties had exercised a mutual opt-out to end their media agreement following the previous 2025 season. ESPN's contract was originally going to expire after the 2028 season. [6] MLB has yet to finalize deals with any broadcasters that will take over ESPN's previous rights through 2028, including Sunday night games, the Home Run Derby, and the Wild Card Series. [7]
MLB is also considering changes to league owned MLB Network or MLB.tv. [7]
This will be the fifth year of the existing seven-year deals with Fox, TBS, and Apple TV+; [8] and the third and final year of the agreement with The Roku Channel: [9]
The aforementioned ESPN-MLB mutual opt-out included the ending of ESPN Radio's deal to air All-Star Weekend and the entire postseason. [6] MLB has yet to finalize any deals with any broadcasters that will take over these rights.
This will be the third season of the league's five-year deal with SiriusXM and SiriusXM Canada to simulcast all 30 teams' local regular season and postseason broadcasts. [15]
[Apple TV+] would not be losing its existing package of Friday night games, which runs through 2028 ... Roku's package for Sunday morning/early afternoon games runs through next season