2026 MLB playoff schedule: Dates set for full postseason bracket, including World Series start
• 3 min read
Major League Baseball is winding down its regular season, with just two weeks to play before the postseason bracket is set.
The playoffs will officially begin on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the four Wild Card Series. Those best-of-three sets will conclude no later than Thursday, Oct. 1. From there, the Division Series will begin on Saturday, Oct. 3, with the League Championship Series getting underway no earlier than Sunday, Oct. 11.
The 2026 World Series, meanwhile, will kick off on Friday, Oct. 23. A potential Game 7, should it come to that, would take place on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Here's the full postseason schedule, beginning with the Wild Card Series.
Wild Card Series
| Day | Date | Series | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
Tues. | Sept. 29 | ALWC A, Game 1 | NBC platforms |
ALWC B, Game 1 | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC A, Game 1 | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC B, Game 1 | NBC platforms | ||
Wed. | Sept. 30 | ALWC A, Game 2 | NBC platforms |
ALWC B, Game 2 | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC A, Game 2 | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC B, Game 2 | NBC platforms | ||
Thurs. | Oct. 1 | ALWC A, Game 3 (if necessary) | NBC platforms |
ALWC B, Game 3 (if necessary) | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC A, Game 3 (if necessary) | NBC platforms | ||
NLWC B, Game 3 (if necessary) | NBC platforms |
Division Series
| Day | Date | Series | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
Sat. | Oct. 3 | ALDS A, Game 1 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
ALDS B, Game 1 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX | ||
NLDS A, Game 1 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
NLDS B, Game 1 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Sun. | Oct. 4 | NLDS A, Game 2 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes |
NLDS B, Game 2 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Mon. | Oct. 5 | ALDS A, Game 2 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
ALDS B, Game 2 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX | ||
Tues. | Oct. 6 | NLDS A, Game 3 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes |
NLDS B, Game 3 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Wed. | Oct. 7 | ALDS A, Game 3 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
NLDS B, Game 3 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX | ||
NLDS A, Game 4 (if necessary) | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
NLDS B, Game 4 (if necessary) | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Thurs. | Oct. 8 | ALDS A, Game 4 (if necessary) | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
ALDS B, Game 4 (if necessary) | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX | ||
Fri. | Oct. 9 | NLDS A, Game 5 (if necessary) | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes |
NLDS B, Game 5 (if necessary) | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Sat. | Oct. 10 | ALDS A, Game 5 (if necessary) | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
ALDS B, Game 5 (if necessary) | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
League Championship Series
| Day | Date | Series | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
Sun. | Oct. 11 | NLCS Game 1 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes |
Mon. | Oct. 12 | ALCS Game 1 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
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 |
NLCS Game 4 | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Fri. | Oct. 16 | ALCS Game 4 | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
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 |
NLCS Game 7 (if necessary) | Fox/FS1/Fox Deportes | ||
Tues. | Oct. 20 | ALCS Game 7 (if necessary) | TBS, truTV, HBO MAX |
World Series
| Day | Date | Series | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
Fri. | Oct. 23 | Game 1 (at better 2025 record) | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Sat. | Oct. 24 | Game 2 (at better 2025 record) | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Sun. | Oct. 25 | TRAVEL DAY | |
Mon. | Oct. 26 | Game 3 | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Tues. | Oct. 27 | Game 4 | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Wed. | Oct. 28 | Game 5 (if necessary) | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Thurs. | Oct. 29 | TRAVEL DAY (if necessary) | |
Fri. | Oct. 30 | Game 6 (if necessary, at better 2025 record) | Fox/Fox Deportes |
Sat. | Oct. 31 | Game 7 (if necessary, at better 2025 record) | Fox/Fox Deportes |
MLB's regular season will wrap up on Sunday, Sept. 27. Remember that the expanded postseason means there are no tiebreaker games. All ties are broken mathematically, with head-to-head record as the first tiebreaker.
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