The 2026 MLB PLayoff schedule is huge since its taking place during America’s 250th birthday year. The Wild Card round of play will start on or around September 29th, 2026. The opening round of play is a best-of-three game playoff that takes place on three consecutive days. The first team to win two games moves on to the Divisional round of play. The 2026 World Series will start on or around Friday, October 23rd, 2026.
*All Dates are notionally based on the 2025 MLB Playoff schedule. As more information is made available by the league, we will update you here. Expect the updates to occur in mid-August 2026
How Many MLB Teams will Make the 2026 Playoffs?
There is no change to the number of teams that earn a sport in the 2026 MLB Playoffs. We will see 12 teams earn a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason. MLB expanded the playoffs in 2022 to the format that we see today. Three divisional winners and three Wild Card teams earn spots from both the American and National League respectfully this year.
How Does the 2026 MLB Playoff Schedule Work?
We will get confirmation on the 2026 MLB Playoff schedule in mid-August 2026. MLB reserves the right to adjust dates/times/broadcast networks as they deem fit. All of the schedule dates we include are based on the 2025 MLB Playoff Schedule until confirmed by the league.
Wild Card Series (Best of 3 games): September 29 – Oct 1, 2026 October
Division Series (Best of 5): October 3-9.
Championship Series (Best of 7): October 11-20.
World Series Schedule (Best of 7): October 24-November 1.
How Many Rounds are in the 2026 MLB Playoffs?
The 2026 MLB Playoffs have four rounds of play. Each round is a series between two teams playing a “best of” single elimination formatted matchup. The number of games increases the deeper into the playoffs we go. The Wild Card round is a “Best-of-Three” game series, while the ALCS/NLCS and World Series are “Best-of-Five” affairs.
How Does the MLB Wild Card Series Work?
First, MLB uses this seeding format for both the American and National League. The #1 seed in each league has the best record period. The #2 seed has the second best record and is a division winner. The #3 seed is the third best record for a division winner. #4, #5, and the #6 seeds are the best records of the non-divisional winners. Then, in the Wild Card Series, #3 plays #6, and #4 plays #5. There are no off-days or travel in the Wild Card round of play. The higher seed hosts up to three games.
How is Home-Field Advantage Determined for the World Series?
The team with the best regular season record gets the World Series home field advantage. They will host the first game regardless of seeding. If there is a game 7, it will also be played on their field. If both teams have the same regular season records, then the standard MLB divisional tiebreaker rule set is used to determine who has the advantage.
Where Can I get a 2026 MLB Playoff Bracket?
If you are more of a visual type that prefers a bracket, we have a printable 2025 MLB playoff bracket for you that you can use from last season. You can print the bracket to PDF format too. We’ll update you with a 2026 bracket once we have a little more information from MLB on dates now that the MLB schedule 2026 is out.
How Does the MLB Division Tiebreaker Work?
With the change in the MLB Playoff format, there is no longer the possibility for a 163rd game to determine a tiebreaker. Instead, MLB first uses the two teams’ head-head records. If they are still tied, then the following metrics are used: record against other teams in their division, record against other teams in their league but outside their division. Then, the record of their last half of intraleague games. Sounds simple right?
2026 MLB Playoff Schedule – Matchups and TV Broadcasts
The details of the 2026 MLB Playoff schedule are tentative and based on the 2025 schedule. The same holds true for the TV networks listed for you before. Where you see ESPN listed, it can be any ESPN platform that covers the game (though likely to be ABC or ESPN).
2026 Wild Card Series Schedule
| Tuesday, Sept. 29 |
| American League Wild Card A, Game 1 (ESPN Platforms) |
| American League Wild Card B, Game 1 (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card A, Game 1 (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card B, Game 1 (ESPN Platforms) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 30 |
| American League Wild Card A, Game 2 (ESPN Platforms) |
| American League Wild Card B, Game 2 (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card A, Game 2 (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card B, Game 2 (ESPN Platforms) |
| Thursday, October 1 |
| American League Wild Card A, Game 3* (ESPN Platforms) |
| American League Wild Card B, Game 3* (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card A, Game 3* (ESPN Platforms) |
| National League Wild Card B, Game 3* (ESPN Platforms) |
| *(if necessary) |
2026 AL and NL Wild Card Schedule
2026 MLB Division Series Schedule
| Thursday, Oct. 3 |
| ALDS A, Game 1 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| ALDS B, Game 1 (TBS, Max) |
| NLDS A, Game 1 (FOX/FS1) |
| NLDS B, Game 1 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 4th, 2026 |
| NLDS A, Game 2 (FOX/FS1) |
| NLDS B, Game 2 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 5th |
| ALDS A, Game 2 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| ALDS B, Game 2 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| October 6th |
| NLDS A, Game 3 (FOX/FS1) |
| NLDS B, Game 3 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 7th |
| ALDS A, Game 3 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| ALDS B, Game 3 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| NLDS A, Game 4* (FOX/FS1) |
| NLDS B, Game 4* (FOX/FS1) |
| October 8th |
| ALDS A, Game 4* (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| ALDS B, Game 4* (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| October 9th |
| NLDS A, Game 5* (FOX/FS1) |
| NLDS B, Game 5* (FOX/FS1) |
| October 10th, 2026 |
| ALDS A, Game 5* (TBS, Max) |
| ALDS B, Game 5* (TBS, Max) |
| *(if necessary) |
2026 ALDS and NLDS Schedule
2026 MLB League Championship Series Schedule
| October 11, 2026 |
| NLCS Game 1 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 12 |
| ALCS Game 1 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| NLCS Game 2 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 13 |
| ALCS Game 2 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| October 14 |
| NLCS Game 3 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 15 |
| ALCS Game 3 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| NLCS Game 4 (FOX/FS1) |
| October 16 |
| ALCS Game 4 (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| NLCS Game 5* (FOX/FS1) |
| October 17, 2026 |
| ALCS Game 5* (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| October 18, 2026 |
| NLCS Game 6* (FOX/FS1) |
| October 19, 2026 |
| ALCS Game 6* (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| NLCS Game 7* (FOX/FS1) |
| October 20, 2026 |
| ALCS Game 7* (TBS, truTV, Max) |
| *(if necessary) |
2026 ALCS and NLCS Schedule
2026 World Series Schedule
| October 23th, 2026 |
| Game 1, at better 2026 record (FOX) |
| October 24th, 2026 |
| Game 2, at better 2026 record (FOX) |
| October 26th, 2026 |
| Game 3 (FOX) |
| October 27th, 2026 |
| Game 4 (FOX) |
| October 28th, 2026 |
| Game 5* (FOX) |
| October 30th, 2026 |
| Game 6*, at better 2026 record (FOX) |
| October 31st, 2026 |
| Game 7*, at better 2026 record (FOX) |
| *(if necessary) |
2026 World Series Schedule
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