2026 MLB Postseason Schedule — Wild Card Sept. 29, World Series Game 1 Oct. 23
MLB's 2026 postseason runs Sept. 29-Oct. 31. Wild Card Sept. 29-Oct. 1 on NBC, World Series Game 1 Oct. 23 on FOX, Game 7 on Halloween.
What was announced
Major League Baseball published its complete 2026 postseason calendar on August 10, 2026, well ahead of the end of the regular season. The release fixed the start date of every round and the outer boundary of the World Series, giving fans, broadcasters and host cities a firm window to plan around. Because the schedule was published before playoff berths were decided, it specifies dates and broadcast homes but not matchups or first-pitch times; those are assigned once the regular-season standings and postseason seeds are final.[1][2]
Round-by-round dates
The postseason opens with four best-of-three Wild Card Series played September 29 through October 1, 2026. Game 1 of each series is Tuesday, September 29, Game 2 is Wednesday, September 30, and a deciding Game 3, if needed, is Thursday, October 1. All four Division Series then begin Saturday, October 3, and run through October 10 in a best-of-five, 2-2-1 format.[1][2]
The League Championship Series occupy October 11 through October 20. The National League Championship Series opens Sunday, October 11 and the American League Championship Series opens Monday, October 12, both in a best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format. The World Series follows, with Game 1 on Friday, October 23 and a potential Game 7 on Saturday, October 31 — Halloween night.[1][2][3]
Format and seeding
Twelve clubs reach the postseason, six from each league: three division winners and three wild cards. The two highest-seeded teams in each league skip the Wild Card round entirely and open play in the Division Series, a structural advantage that makes the final weeks of the regular season consequential for teams sitting near the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. Ties in the standings are resolved mathematically rather than through tiebreaker games, with head-to-head record serving as the primary tiebreaker.[1][2]
Where to watch
Broadcast rights for the 2026 postseason are split across several partners. The Wild Card round is carried by NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network. From the Division Series onward the bracket splits: American League games are slated for TBS, truTV and HBO Max, while National League games run on FOX and FS1 with FOX Deportes providing Spanish-language coverage. The World Series itself airs on FOX, with FOX Deportes carrying the Spanish call.[1][3]
Verified facts
Cross-checked against 2+ independent sourcesThis section contains facts cross-checked against multiple sources.
Major League Baseball released the full 2026 postseason schedule on Monday, August 10, 2026, setting dates for every round from the Wild Card Series through a potential World Series Game 7.[1][2] 2 sources
The best-of-three Wild Card Series are scheduled for September 29 through October 1, 2026, with Game 1 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, Game 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and an if-necessary Game 3 on Thursday, Oct. 1.[1][2] 2 sources
The best-of-five Division Series run October 3-10, 2026, and the best-of-seven League Championship Series run October 11-20, with the NLCS opening Sunday, Oct. 11 and the ALCS opening Monday, Oct. 12.[1][2] 2 sources
World Series Game 1 is set for Friday, October 23, 2026, and an if-necessary Game 7 would fall on Halloween, Saturday, October 31, 2026.[1][3] 2 sources
The 2026 Wild Card round airs on NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network, while all World Series games air on FOX with Spanish-language coverage on FOX Deportes.[1][3] 2 sources
Twelve teams qualify for the postseason under the current format, with the top two seeds in each league receiving a bye directly into the Division Series.[1][2] 2 sources
Reported, not confirmed
Not cross-checked — do not read as factFrom here on: claims and speculation that are not cross-checked.
The World Series schedule includes travel days on October 25 and, if necessary, October 29, with the higher-seeded team hosting Games 1, 2, 6 and 7.[2] single-source ×1 · CBS Sports schedule breakdown
American League Division Series and Championship Series games are slated for TBS, truTV and HBO Max, while the National League bracket airs on FOX and FS1.[1] single-source ×1 · MLB.com network listing
Timeline
- 2026-08-10
MLB announces the complete 2026 postseason schedule, more than six weeks before the regular season ends.[1][2]
- 2026-09-29
Wild Card Series Game 1 across all four matchups; coverage on NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network.[1]
- 2026-10-03
- 2026-10-11
NLCS Game 1; the ALCS follows on October 12.[1]
- 2026-10-23
- 2026-10-31
Latest possible date for World Series Game 7, falling on Halloween.[1][3]
- Model
- claude-fable-5
- Time
- 08/30/2026, 10:00
- Tokens
- 8,000
- Sources
- 4 sources adopted
- Model
- claude-fable-5 (review pass)
- Time
- 08/30/2026, 10:00
- Tokens
- 3,000
- Verdict
- Passed
| 08/30/2026, 10:00 | First authored (claude-fable-5) | Created |
Frequently asked
When is the 2026 World Series?
Game 1 of the 2026 World Series is Friday, October 23, 2026. The series can run as long as Saturday, October 31 if a Game 7 is needed. Exact first-pitch times are set after the regular season ends and seedings are finalized.
When do the 2026 MLB playoffs start?
The postseason opens with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Game 2 is September 30 and an if-necessary Game 3 is October 1.
How can I watch the 2026 MLB postseason?
Wild Card Series games air on NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network. Division Series and Championship Series are split between the FOX family (FOX, FS1) for the National League bracket and TBS/truTV/HBO Max for the American League bracket. The World Series airs on FOX, with Spanish-language coverage on FOX Deportes.
How many teams make the MLB playoffs in 2026?
Twelve teams qualify, six per league. The top two seeds in each league get a first-round bye and open in the Division Series, while the remaining eight teams play best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Official links
- Official MLB.com — 2026 Playoff and World Series schedule
- Official MLB.com postseason hub