MLB Playoff Schedule 2026: Scores, Matchups, Full Dates, Format, Bracket & Complete Postseason World Series Guide

The 2026 MLB Playoffs mark the beginning of Major League Baseball’s race for the World Series championship. After a grueling 162-game regular season, the league’s top teams compete in a month-long postseason featuring the Wild Card Series, Division Series, League Championship Series (LCS), and the World Series.

If you’re searching for the MLB Playoff Schedule 2026, this guide covers every postseason date, playoff format, qualification rules, and answers to the most frequently asked questions using information verified from Major League Baseball (MLB) and the official 2026 schedule.

 

When Do the MLB Playoffs Start in 2026?

The 2026 MLB Playoffs officially begin on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with the opening games of the Wild Card Series.

The regular season concludes on Sunday, September 27, 2026, giving qualifying teams only one off day before MLB postseason baseball begins.

Stage	Date
Regular Season Ends	September 27, 2026
MLB Playoffs Begin	September 29, 2026
First Round	Wild Card Series
Teams Qualified	12 Teams
Championship	World Series

The MLB postseason dates stretches across October and concludes with the World Series, which begins on October 23 and can extend through October 31, 2026, if a Game 7 is necessary.

MLB Playoff Schedule 2026

Below is the complete postseason timeline for the 2026 MLB season.

Round	Dates	Format
Wild Card Series	September 29 – October 1	Best-of-3
Division Series (ALDS & NLDS)	October 3 – Around October 10	Best-of-5
League Championship Series (ALCS & NLCS)	October 11 – Around October 20	Best-of-7
World Series	Begins October 23	Best-of-7
World Series Game 7 (If Necessary)	October 31	Winner Takes Championship

This schedule follows Major League Baseball’s official postseason calendar and keeps games almost every day throughout October.

MLB Playoff Bracket Format 2026

The current MLB postseason format features 12 teams.

• 6 teams qualify from the American League (AL)
• 6 teams qualify from the National League (NL)

Each league includes:

• Three division champions
• Three Wild Card teams

The playoff bracket is structured as follows:

Seed	Qualification
No. 1	Division Winner (Bye)
No. 2	Division Winner (Bye)
No. 3	Division Winner
No. 4	Best Wild Card
No. 5	Second Wild Card
No. 6	Third Wild Card

Wild Card Matchups

• No. 3 vs No. 6
• No. 4 vs No. 5

The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive a first-round bye and automatically advance to the Division Series.

 

MLB playoff 2026: Wild card, AL and NL division standings

Updated: Monday, Sept. 28, 2026

American League Standings

1 — Tampa Bay Rays — 98–64 — AL East Champion — Earned First-Round Bye (Awaits NYY/BOS winner in ALDS)
2 — Cleveland Guardians — 85–77 — AL Central Champion — Earned First-Round Bye (Awaits HOU/CWS winner in ALDS)
3 — Houston Astros — 81–81 — AL West Champion — Hosts No. 6 Chicago White Sox in Wild Card Series
4 — New York Yankees — 93–68 — Wild Card #1 — Hosts No. 5 Boston Red Sox in Wild Card Series
5 — Boston Red Sox — 87–75 — Wild Card #2 — At No. 4 New York Yankees for Wild Card Series
6 — Chicago White Sox — 84–78 — Wild Card #3 — At No. 3 Houston Astros for Wild Card Series

Note: The Yankees’ final game was canceled due to weather, so they finished the regular season after 161 games.

National League Standings

1 — Milwaukee Brewers — 103–59 — NL Central Champion — Earned First-Round Bye (Awaits SD/CHC winner in NLDS)
2 — Los Angeles Dodgers — 100–62 — NL West Champion — Earned First-Round Bye (Awaits ATL/PHI winner in NLDS)
3 — Atlanta Braves — 94–68 — NL East Champion — Hosts No. 6 Philadelphia Phillies in Wild Card Series
4 — San Diego Padres — 91–71 — Wild Card #1 — Hosts No. 5 Chicago Cubs in Wild Card Series
5 — Chicago Cubs — 89–73 — Wild Card #2 — At No. 4 San Diego Padres for Wild Card Series
6 — Philadelphia Phillies — 88–74 — Wild Card #3 — At No. 3 Atlanta Braves for Wild Card Series…

MLB Playoff 2026: Wild Card Series Schedule, AL, NL Scores, How to watch.

The MLB postseason schedule begins with four Wild Card Series Runs from (September 29 – October 1).

Day –  Date  – Series  –  TV Network/Stream

Tuesday, Sept. 29

NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Braves 5, Phillies 3 | Atlanta leads series 1-0
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: White Sox 6, Astros 3 | Chicago leads series 1-0
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Yankees 9, Red Sox 0 | New York leads series 1-0
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres 8, Cubs 0 | San Diego leads series 1-0

Wednesday, Sept. 30

NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Phillies 4, Braves 3 (10)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: White Sox 7, Astros 3 (Chicago wins 2-0)
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2 (New York wins 2-0)
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres 4, Cubs 1 (San Diego wins 2-0)

Thursday, Oct. 1

NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Braves 6, Phillies 2 (Atlanta wins 2-1)

Each matchup is played as a best-of-three series, with all games hosted by the higher-seeded team.

Because every game matters, the Wild Card round is considered one of the most exciting stages of the MLB postseason.

MLB Playoff 2026: Division Series Score, Schedule, Dates, Times, TV.

The winners of the Wild Card Series advance to the American League Division Series (ALDS) and National League Division Series (NLDS).

October 3 – Around October 10

 

MLB Playoff Schedule 2026: ALDS Sores, Dates, Times, TV, How to watch

Saturday, Oct. 3

ALDS Game 1: White Sox 3, Guardians 0 (Chicago leads 1-0)
ALDS Game 1: Rays 1, Yankees 0 (Tampa Bay leads 1-0)

Monday, Oct. 5

ALDS Game 2: White Sox 4, Guardians 3 (Chicago leads 2-0)
ALDS Game 2: Rays 5, Yankees 2 (Tampa Bay leads 2-0)

Wednesday, Oct. 7

ALDS Game 3: Guardians @ White Sox, 4 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max
ALDS Game 3: Rays @ Yankees, 8 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max

Thursday, Oct. 8

ALDS Game 4*: Guardians @ White Sox, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max
ALDS Game 4*: Rays @ Yankees, 8 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max

Saturday, Oct. 10

ALDS Game 5*: White Sox @ Guardians, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max
ALDS Game 5*: Yankees @ Rays, 8 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max

MLB Playoff 2026: NLDS Sores, Schedule, Dates, Times, TV, How to watch

Saturday, Oct. 3

NLDS Game 1: Dodgers 5, Braves 3 (Los Angeles leads 1-0)
NLDS Game 1: Brewers 3, Padres 2 (Milwaukee leads 1-0)

Sunday, Oct. 4

NLDS Game 2: Brewers 4, Padres 3 (Milwaukee leads 2-0)
NLDS Game 2: Braves 3, Dodgers 2 (Series tied 1-1)

Tuesday, Oct. 6

NLDS Game 3: Dodgers 3, Braves 1 (Los Angeles leads series 2-1)
NLDS Game 3: Padres 4, Brewers 3 (Milwaukee leads series 2-1)

Wednesday, Oct. 7

NLDS Game 4*: Dodgers @ Braves, 6 p.m., Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes/fubo
NLDS Game 4*: Brewers @ Padres, 10 p.m., Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes/fubo

Friday, Oct. 9

NLDS Game 5*: Padres @ Brewers, 4:30 p.m., Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes/fubo
NLDS Game 5*: Braves @ Dodgers, 8 p.m., Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes/fubo

* If necessary.

Format

• Best-of-five
• First team to win three games advances

During this round, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds enter the playoffs after receiving their Wild Card bye.

MLB Playoff Schedule: League Championship Series, Dates, Times, TV channel

After the Division Series concludes, four teams remain in the MLB Playoff Schedule.

The ALCS and NLCS determine which clubs will represent each league in the World Series.

Dates

October 11 – Around October 20

Day –  Date  – Series  –  TV Network/Stream

Sun. – Oct. 11 – NLCS Game 1 – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Mon. – Oct. 12 – ALCS Game 1 – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Mon. – Oct. 12 – NLCS Game 2 – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Tues. – Oct. 13 – ALCS Game 2 – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Wed. – Oct. 14 – NLCS Game 3 – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Thurs. – Oct. 15 – ALCS Game 3 – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Thurs. – Oct. 15 – NLCS Game 4 – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Fri. – Oct. 16 – ALCS Game 4 – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Fri. – Oct. 16 – NLCS Game 5 (if necessary) – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Sat. – Oct. 17 – ALCS Game 5 (if necessary) – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Sun. – Oct. 18 – NLCS Game 6 (if necessary) – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Mon. – Oct. 19 – ALCS Game 6 (if necessary) – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

Mon. – Oct. 19 – NLCS Game 7 (if necessary) – Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes

Tues. – Oct. 20 – ALCS Game 7 (if necessary) – TBS, truTV, HBO MAX

 

Format

• Best-of-seven
• First team to four wins advances

Winning the League Championship earns the league pennant and a place in baseball’s biggest event.

MLB Playoff: World Series Schedule 2026, Dates, Times.

The 2026 MLB World Series is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 23, 2026.

It features the champions of the American League and National League competing for the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Day –  Date  – Series  –  TV Network/Stream

Game 1 — Friday, October 23 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 2 — Saturday, October 24 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 3 — Monday, October 26 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 4 — Tuesday, October 27 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 5* — Wednesday, October 28 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 6* — Friday, October 30 – Fox / Fox Deportes

Game 7* — Saturday, October 31 – Fox / Fox Deportes

*if necessary

The entire World Series will be on Fox. No November baseball on the schedule this year.

Format

• Best-of-seven series
• First team to win four games becomes World Series Champion

If the series reaches the maximum distance, Game 7 will be played on October 31, 2026.

The club with the better regular-season record receives home-field advantage.

How Many Teams Make the MLB Playoffs?

A total of 12 teams qualify.

American League

• 3 Division Champions
• 3 Wild Card Teams

National League

• 3 Division Champions
• 3 Wild Card Teams

This expanded postseason format was introduced to keep more teams in contention while rewarding the league’s best regular-season performers with first-round byes.

Why Do the Top Two Seeds Receive a Bye?

Major League Baseball rewards the strongest regular-season teams.

The two highest-seeded division winners in each league:

• Skip the Wild Card round
• Receive additional rest
• Automatically advance to the Division Series
• Retain home-field advantage in the Division Series

This incentive makes every regular-season game meaningful through September.

MLB Playoff Schedule: FAQ

When do the MLB Playoffs start in 2026?

The 2026 MLB Playoffs begin on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with the opening games of the Wild Card Series.

How many teams make the playoffs?

Twelve teams qualify—six from the American League and six from the National League.

How long is the Wild Card Series?

The Wild Card Series is a best-of-three format.

When does the World Series begin?

The 2026 World Series starts on October 23, 2026.

When could Game 7 of the World Series be played?

If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for October 31, 2026.

Which teams receive a first-round bye?

The top two division winners in each league receive byes directly into the Division Series.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 MLB Playoff Schedule promises another exciting month of postseason baseball. The action begins on September 29, 2026, with the Wild Card Series, followed by the Division Series, League Championship Series, and finally the World Series, which begins on October 23.

With 12 teams, a fast-paced postseason format, and multiple best-of-three and best-of-seven series, October baseball consistently delivers dramatic moments, unforgettable performances, and championship dreams. Whether you’re following your favorite club or simply watching the race for the Commissioner’s Trophy, knowing the complete MLB Playoff Schedule 2026 ensures you won’t miss a single game.