The road to the World Series is set. The 2026 MLB postseason opens with the Wild Card Series on September 29 and runs through a possible Game 7 of the World Series on Halloween night. Below is the full format, the round-by-round schedule, and a free printable 12-team bracket you can fill in as October unfolds. We will keep this updated as teams clinch and the seeds lock in.
2026 MLB Playoff Bracket: Final Seeds (set September 27, 2026)
Final: September 27, 2026. The regular season is over and all 12 postseason teams are locked in. Division winners take the top three seeds in each league by record; the next three teams claim the wild cards as seeds 4, 5, and 6. Below is the final bracket, with the higher seed hosting every game of each best-of-three Wild Card Series.
American League
| Seed | Team | Berth | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa Bay Rays | AL East champion, first-round bye | 98-64 |
| 2 | Cleveland Guardians | AL Central champion, first-round bye | 85-77 |
| 3 | Houston Astros | AL West champion, hosts Wild Card Series | 81-81 |
| 4 | New York Yankees | Wild Card 1, hosts | 93-68 |
| 5 | Boston Red Sox | Wild Card 2 | 87-75 |
| 6 | Chicago White Sox | Wild Card 3 | 84-78 |
The Chicago White Sox clinched the final AL wild card, edging out the Texas Rangers.
National League
| Seed | Team | Berth | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee Brewers | NL Central champion, first-round bye | 103-59 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | NL West champion, first-round bye | 100-62 |
| 3 | Atlanta Braves | NL East champion, hosts Wild Card Series | 94-68 |
| 4 | San Diego Padres | Wild Card 1, hosts | 91-71 |
| 5 | Chicago Cubs | Wild Card 2 | 89-73 |
| 6 | Philadelphia Phillies | Wild Card 3 | 88-74 |
The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the final NL wild card, holding off the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Wild Card Series matchups (higher seed hosts all three games): In the AL, No. 3 Houston hosts No. 6 Chicago (White Sox) and No. 4 New York hosts No. 5 Boston, while No. 1 Tampa Bay and No. 2 Cleveland wait on byes. In the NL, No. 3 Atlanta hosts No. 6 Philadelphia and No. 4 San Diego hosts No. 5 Chicago (Cubs), with No. 1 Milwaukee and No. 2 Los Angeles on byes.
2026 MLB Playoff Bracket and Live Results
The 2026 MLB playoffs have reached the League Championship Series. The top-seeded Brewers host the Dodgers in the NLCS and the top-seeded Rays host the Guardians in the ALCS, each a best-of-seven series for a trip to the World Series. Here is where the bracket stands.
| Round | Matchup (higher seed hosts) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| AL Wild Card | (3) Astros vs (6) White Sox | White Sox win 2-0 |
| AL Wild Card | (4) Yankees vs (5) Red Sox | Yankees win 2-0 |
| NL Wild Card | (3) Braves vs (6) Phillies | Braves win 2-1 |
| NL Wild Card | (4) Padres vs (5) Cubs | Padres win 2-0 |
| AL Division Series | (1) Rays vs (4) Yankees | Rays win 3-0 |
| AL Division Series | (2) Guardians vs (6) White Sox | Guardians win 3-2 |
| NL Division Series | (1) Brewers vs (4) Padres | Brewers win 3-1 |
| NL Division Series | (2) Dodgers vs (3) Braves | Dodgers win 3-1 |
| AL Championship Series | (1) Rays vs (2) Guardians | Series tied 1-1 |
| NL Championship Series | (1) Brewers vs (2) Dodgers | Brewers lead 3-0 |
- Printable 2026 MLB playoff bracket
- 2026 Wild Card Series: matchups, times and TV
- 2026 Division Series schedule and tracker
- 2026 World Series schedule and tracker
- 2026 postseason TV schedule, every round and channel
2026 MLB Postseason: Quick Facts
- Teams: 12 (six per league, seeds 1 to 6)
- Byes: the top two seeds in each league skip the Wild Card round
- Wild Card Series: best-of-3, higher seed hosts all games, starts September 29
- Division Series: best-of-5 (2-2-1), starts October 3
- League Championship Series: best-of-7 (2-3-2), NLCS October 11, ALCS October 12
- World Series: best-of-7 (2-3-2), starts Friday, October 23, with a Game 7 (if needed) on Saturday, October 31
2026 MLB Postseason Schedule
| Round | Format | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Series | Best-of-3, higher seed hosts all 3 | Tue, Sep 29 |
| Division Series | Best-of-5 (2-2-1) | Sat, Oct 3 |
| NLCS | Best-of-7 (2-3-2) | Sun, Oct 11 |
| ALCS | Best-of-7 (2-3-2) | Mon, Oct 12 |
| World Series | Best-of-7 (2-3-2) | Fri, Oct 23 |
| World Series Game 7 | If necessary | Sat, Oct 31 |
Want the full playoff picture? Our 2026 MLB Playoff Schedule and Matchup Tracker has the final seeding, the round-by-round matchups, TV broadcasts, and tiebreaker rules, updated as the races play out.
Next round: follow the pennant races with our 2026 MLB LCS schedule, TV and printable tracker.
Printable 2026 MLB Postseason Bracket
Download the free printable bracket below. It has both leagues, the Wild Card round, the byes for the top two seeds, and the path through the Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series, with score lines so you can track every series. Print it now and fill in the matchups as the seeds are set.
How the 12-Team Bracket Works
Each league sends six teams. The three division winners take the top three seeds, and the next three best records earn the Wild Card spots as seeds four, five, and six. The top two seeds get a bye straight to the Division Series. In the Wild Card round, the No. 3 seed hosts the No. 6, and the No. 4 seed hosts the No. 5, each a best-of-three with all games at the higher seed. The Wild Card winners then meet the rested top seeds in the Division Series, and the bracket runs through the LCS to the World Series.
More Brackets from Sports Brackets
Filling out October? Grab our 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs printable bracket, our 2026 U.S. Open Cup bracket, and find every printable bracket and schedule at SportsBrackets.net.
2026 MLB Postseason FAQ
When does the 2026 MLB postseason start?
The 2026 MLB postseason begins with the Wild Card Series on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
How many teams make the MLB playoffs?
Twelve teams reach the playoffs, six from each league. The top two seeds in each league receive a first-round bye.
When is the 2026 World Series?
The 2026 World Series starts Friday, October 23. If it goes the distance, Game 7 is Saturday, October 31.
How long is each MLB playoff round?
The Wild Card Series is best-of-three, the Division Series is best-of-five, and both the League Championship Series and the World Series are best-of-seven.
Round two of the 12-team field is the best-of-5 Division Series, starting Oct 3. For the full ALDS and NLDS slate, channel-by-channel TV and a printable series tracker, see the 2026 MLB Division Series schedule, TV and printable Bo5 tracker.
