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Major League Baseball revealed the 2026 regular season schedule Tuesday. The announcement came a bit later than usual this year, as the new schedule has typically been released during the All-Star break over the years.

For the first time since 2023, the regular season will not begin with an international series. The Dodgers and Padres opened 2024 with the Seoul Series in South Korea and last year the Dodgers and Cubs kicked off the new season in Tokyo, Japan. MLB made no mention of international games or novelty games (Field of Dreams Game, Speedway Classic, etc.) in the 2026 schedule release.

The Giants and Yankees will begin the 2026 season with an Opening Night game on Wednesday, March 25. The other 28 teams will begin their seasons on Thursday, March 26. That will be the earliest traditional Opening Day in baseball history. All 30 teams will be in action on the same day for the first time on Saturday, March 28.

Here are some other important games and dates:

  • "Rivalry Weekend" will take place from May 15-17 and will feature 11 series with division rivals, plus four with geographic rivals: Phillies vs. Pirates, Diamondbacks vs. Rockies, Blue Jays vs. Tigers, and Astros vs. Rangers.
  • The Athletics will play back-to-back series against the Brewers and Rockies at Las Vegas Ballpark. That is the home of their Triple-A affiliate. Those games are scheduled for June 8-12. The A's are expected to move to Las Vegas in 2028 or 2029.
  • The 96th All-Star Game is will be played Tuesday, July 14, at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies. It will coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.
  • There are several off-days built into the schedule to accommodate nearby World Cup events. The Mariners and Red Sox will play a scheduled doubleheader on Saturday, June 20, as part of those accommodations.
  • The Yankees and Mets will play three games at Yankee Stadium from Sept. 11-13 as MLB observes the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. It is the second time the two New York teams will play on Sept. 11.
  • The regular season will end on Sunday, Sept. 27. There will be nine divisional matchups. That suggests the postseason will begin Tuesday, Sept. 29. 

It is not yet clear if the Rays will return to the Tropicana Field in 2026. For what it's worth, their 2026 home and road games are more balanced throughout the season, unlike 2025, which was front-loaded with home games to avoid playing too many games under the Florida sun at George M. Steinbrenner Field in August.

Here's a look at the 2026 Opening Day schedule. All games are scheduled for Thursday, March 26, unless noted otherwise.

2026 MLB Opening Day schedule