MLB Playoffs 2026 Schedule: Dates, Matchups and TV
The 2026 MLB playoffs run from September 29 to October 31 at the latest. The Division Series start on Saturday, October 3, the League Championship Series on October 11 and 12, and the World Series on Friday, October 23. Here is the full schedule, today's matchups and where to watch in the US.
The schedule round by round
| Round | Dates | TV in the US |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Series | Sept 29 – Oct 1 (finished) | NBC, Peacock |
| AL Division Series | Oct 3 – 10 | TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| NL Division Series | Oct 3 – 9 | FOX or FS1 |
| NL Championship Series | Oct 11 – 19 | FOX or FS1 |
| AL Championship Series | Oct 12 – 20 | TBS, truTV, HBO Max |
| World Series | Oct 23 – 31 | FOX |
End dates include the last possible game of each round. Dates and networks are from MLB's official schedule. In Spanish, the NL games are on FOX Deportes, the AL Division Series is also on UniMas, and Univision and Universo carry more games.
Division Series matchups
All four series are best of five. The first team to win three games goes through. Seeds are in brackets, and times are Eastern.
American League
(2) Cleveland Guardians vs (6) Chicago White Sox
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct 3, 1 p.m. at Cleveland
- Game 2: Monday, Oct 5, 5 p.m. at Cleveland
- Game 3: Wednesday, Oct 7, 4 p.m. at Chicago
- Game 4, if needed: Thursday, Oct 8, 5 p.m. at Chicago
- Game 5, if needed: Saturday, Oct 10, 5 p.m. at Cleveland
(1) Tampa Bay Rays vs (4) New York Yankees
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct 3, 6:30 p.m. at Tampa Bay
- Game 2: Monday, Oct 5, 8 p.m. at Tampa Bay
- Game 3: Wednesday, Oct 7, 8 p.m. at New York
- Game 4, if needed: Thursday, Oct 8, 8 p.m. at New York
- Game 5, if needed: Saturday, Oct 10, 8 p.m. at Tampa Bay
National League
(1) Milwaukee Brewers vs (4) San Diego Padres
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct 3, 8:30 p.m. at Milwaukee
- Game 2: Sunday, Oct 4, 4 p.m. at Milwaukee
- Game 3: Tuesday, Oct 6, 9:30 p.m. at San Diego
- Game 4, if needed: Wednesday, Oct 7, 10 p.m. at San Diego
- Game 5, if needed: Friday, Oct 9, 4:30 p.m. at Milwaukee
(2) Los Angeles Dodgers vs (3) Atlanta Braves
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct 3, 4 p.m. at Los Angeles
- Game 2: Sunday, Oct 4, 8 p.m. at Los Angeles
- Game 3: Tuesday, Oct 6, 6 p.m. at Atlanta
- Game 4, if needed: Wednesday, Oct 7, 6 p.m. at Atlanta
- Game 5, if needed: Friday, Oct 9, 8 p.m. at Los Angeles
Matchups and game times from MLB.com. In the Wild Card round, the White Sox swept the Astros, the Yankees swept the Red Sox, the Padres swept the Cubs, and the Braves beat the Phillies in three games.
League Championship Series
Both are best of seven.
- NLCS: starts Sunday, October 11, on FOX or FS1. A Game 7, if needed, is on Monday, October 19.
- ALCS: starts Monday, October 12, on TBS, truTV and HBO Max. A Game 7, if needed, is on Tuesday, October 20.
World Series 2026 schedule
Every game is on FOX. Game 1 is at the home of the league champion with the better regular-season record.
- Game 1: Friday, October 23
- Game 2: Saturday, October 24
- Game 3: Monday, October 26
- Game 4: Tuesday, October 27
- Game 5, if needed: Wednesday, October 28
- Game 6, if needed: Friday, October 30
- Game 7, if needed: Saturday, October 31
Sunday, October 25 and Thursday, October 29 are travel days, according to MLB's schedule.
Quick answers
When does the World Series start in 2026?
On Friday, October 23, on FOX.
How many teams are left?
Eight, as of October 3: the Guardians, White Sox, Rays and Yankees in the American League, and the Brewers, Padres, Dodgers and Braves in the National League.
Can I stream the playoffs?
Yes, through the networks' own services, such as Peacock, HBO Max and FOX's apps. MLB says MLB.TV subscribers can also watch games from FOX, FS1 and TNT Sports if they sign in with a pay TV provider that carries those channels.
