Major League Baseball’s 2026 postseason begins Tuesday, Sept. 29 with four best-of-three wild card series, with two taking place in each league. The opening round will determine which teams move on to the Division Series and meet the clubs that earned first-round byes.
This marks the fifth season using MLB’s current postseason format, which expanded the field to three wild-card teams in each league, up from two, bringing the total number of playoff teams to 12. The top two division winners in each league receive byes, while the third division winner joins the three wild-card teams in the opening round.
The best-of-five Division Series are scheduled to begin Saturday, Oct. 3. An AL series could continue through Oct. 10 if it requires a winner-take-all Game 5. The best-of-seven National League Championship Series begins Oct. 11, followed by the American League Championship Series on Oct. 12. Those rounds will determine the two teams that reach the World Series.
The World Series is set to start Friday, Oct. 23, with home-field advantage in the Fall Classic going to the team with the better regular-season record. Should the championship series extend to all seven games, the MLB season would conclude on Halloween.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have captured the World Series in each of the past two seasons and are pursuing a third consecutive championship, which would make them the first NL team in history to three-peat.
Here’s a breakdown of the 2026 MLB playoffs:
MLB’s 2026 postseason gets started Tuesday, Sept. 29 with a quadruple-header that includes Game 1 of all four wild card series.
NL Game 1: Diamondbacks/Phillies at Braves – buy tickets – 2 p.m. ET
AL Game 1: White Sox at Rangers/Astros – buy tickets – 5 p.m. ET
AL Game 1: Red Sox at Yankees – buy tickets – 8 p.m. ET
NL Game 1: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET
NL Game 2: Diamondbacks/Phillies at Braves – buy tickets – 2 p.m. ET
AL Game 2: White Sox at Rangers/Astros – buy tickets – 5 p.m. ET
AL Game 2: Red Sox at Yankees – buy tickets – 8 p.m. ET
NL Game 2: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET
Game 3 times subject to change
NL Game 3: Diamondbacks/Phillies at Braves – buy tickets – 2 p.m. ET
AL Game 3: White Sox at Rangers/Astros – buy tickets – 5 p.m. ET
AL Game 3: Red Sox at Yankees – buy tickets – 8 p.m. ET
NL Game 3: Cubs at Padres – buy tickets – 10 p.m. ET
The four best-of-five AL and NL Division Series will all get underway Saturday, Oct. 3. After opening day, however, the American League and National League schedules will alternate.
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 5
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 8 (if necessary)
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 10 (if necessary)
All ALDS games will air on TBS/truTV/HBO Max.
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 4
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 7 (if necessary)
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 9 (if necessary)
All NLDS games will air on Fox/FS1.
The best-of-seven American League and National League Championship Series are scheduled to start Oct. 11 and Oct. 12, respectively.
Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16
Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 17 (if necessary)
Game 6: Monday, Oct. 19 (if necessary)
Game 7: Tuesday, Oct. 20 (if necessary)
All ALCS games will air on TBS/truTV/HBO Max.
Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 11
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 12
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 14
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 15
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 16 (if necessary)
Game 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 (if necessary)
Game 7: Monday, Oct. 19 (if necessary)
All NLCS games will air on Fox/FS1.
The best-of-seven World Series is scheduled to begin Oct. 23 at the home stadium of the team that finished the regular season with the better record.
Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 28 (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, Oct. 30 (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31 (if necessary)
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