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MLB announces 2026 schedule: Opening Day matchup, return of Rivalry Weekend, and other major takeaways
Here's all you need to know about the schedule for the 2026 regular season of Major League Baseball.
Major League Baseball (MLB) on Tuesday, August 26, unveiled the complete schedule for the 2026 regular season. According to MLB.com, the 2026 championship season starts on March 25, 2026, with the opening night game between the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
The remaining 27 teams will open the following day, ESPN reported. Among these include Kansas City at Atlanta, Washington at Chicago Cubs, Minnesota at Baltimore, Los Angeles Angels at Houston, Boston at Cincinnati, Colorado at Miami, Arizona at the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh at New York Mets, Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee, Texas at Philadelphia, Detroit at San Diego, Tampa Bay at St. Louis, Cleveland at Seattle and Athletics at Toronto.
MLB's 2026 schedule: Key highlights
The announcement from the league comes a little later than usual this time. Earlier, the new schedule came out during the All-Star break. This time, the regular season is not set to begin with an international series, making it the first since 2023, CBS Sports reported.
As of now, MLB has not highlighted either international or novelty games in its schedule for 2026.
While the Giants vs Yankees matchup is slated for the opening night on March 25, 2026, the remaining 28 teams will be in action on March 26, 2026. This will mark the earliest traditional first day in the history of the sport. Also, it will be a major day on March 28, when all 30 teams in MLB will be in action.
Also read: Rice, Domínguez and Chisholm HRs back 6 scoreless innings by Schlitter as Yankees beat Nationals
The 'Rivalry Weekend' is scheduled from May 15 to 17, 2026. It will have 11 series with division rivals, as well as four having geographical rivals. Among the matchups are:
Phillies vs Pirates
Diamondbacks vs Rockies
Blue Jays vs Tigers
Astros vs Rangers
The 96th edition of the All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on July 14, 2026. The event will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The ceremony will coincide with the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, CBS Sports reported.
As part of the 2026 schedule, MLB has included multiple off-days in order to accommodate the World Cup events. Due to this, the Mariners and Red Sox will be taking on each other in a doubleheader on June 20, 2026.
Another major takeaway is the three-game schedule between the Yankees and Mets. This will be from September 11 to 13, 2026. During this time, MLB will be marking the 25th year of the September 11 attacks.
This will be the second time that the two sides will face each other on September 11.
FAQs
When will the regular season start for MLB in 2026?
It will open on March 25, 2026.
What match will take place on the opening night?
The San Francisco Giants will take on the New York Yankees in the opening night game.
Will all the 30 teams be in action in a single day?
Yes, all the 30 sides in MLB will be in action on March 28, 2026.
