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Live countdown to World Series 2026 on October 24, 2026. Displays days, hours, minutes, and seconds remaining. Fullscreen mode for TVs and projectors.
The 2026 World Series—Major League Baseball's championship series, known as the Fall Classic—is projected to begin on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The best-of-seven series pits the American League champion against the National League champion in a battle for the Commissioner's Trophy and the title of world champions.
The World Series has been played annually since 1903, making it one of the oldest championship traditions in professional sports. Legendary moments include the "Curse of the Bambino" finally ending when the Red Sox won in 2004, the Cubs breaking their 108-year drought in 2016, and countless walk-off home runs and dominant pitching performances that have defined baseball history.
The 2026 MLB season begins in late March, with 162 games per team across the spring and summer. The expanded playoff format, introduced in 2022, gives 12 teams a shot at October glory through a wild-card round, division series, and league championship series before the World Series. The marathon nature of the baseball season makes the October payoff all the more rewarding.
World Series games are played in the home stadiums of the two competing teams, alternating between cities in a 2-3-2 format. The atmosphere is electric—from packed stadiums to watch parties at sports bars nationwide. October baseball has a magic all its own, with every pitch carrying enormous weight under the bright postseason lights.
When does the 2026 World Series start? The World Series is expected to begin around October 24, 2026, though the exact date depends on how earlier playoff rounds unfold. If series go to maximum games, dates can shift by a few days.
How is home-field advantage determined? Since 2017, the team with the better regular-season record receives home-field advantage in the World Series, hosting Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (if necessary).
Where can I watch the World Series? The World Series is broadcast nationally on FOX in the United States. Games are also available via streaming services and MLB's international broadcast partners for viewers around the world.