The 2026 MLB playoffs open with the Wild Card Series, a best-of-three round that runs September 29 to October 1. This page tracks the format, the confirmed matchups, the dates and TV, and a free printable Wild Card bracket and series tracker you can fill in as the games go final. The field is set: the San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox.
2026 MLB Playoff Bracket and Live Results
The 2026 MLB postseason is complete. The top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions, closing out the Tampa Bay Rays 4 games to 1 with a 4-1 win in Game 5 at Tropicana Field on Wednesday, October 28. It is the first World Series title in Brewers history. Here is the final bracket:
| 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 | Rays win 4-2 |
| NL Championship Series | (1) Brewers vs (2) Dodgers | Brewers win 4-0 |
| World Series | (1) Brewers vs (1) Rays | Brewers win 4-1 |
- 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
MLB Playoffs on TV: Day-by-Day Schedule
Here is the 2026 World Series TV schedule, day by day, with first pitch in Eastern and the national network for each game. The Brewers beat the Rays 4 games to 1, and every game aired on FOX.
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 23 (Fri) | Final | Rays at Brewers, World Series Game 1, Brewers won 3-2 | FOX |
| Oct 24 (Sat) | Final | Rays at Brewers, World Series Game 2, Brewers won 5-4 | FOX |
| Oct 26 (Mon) | Final | Brewers at Rays, World Series Game 3, Brewers won 10-1 | FOX |
| Oct 27 (Tue) | Final | Brewers at Rays, World Series Game 4, Rays won 4-3 | FOX |
| Oct 28 (Wed) | Final | Brewers at Rays, World Series Game 5, Brewers won 4-1 | FOX |
Coming up: the 2026 MLB season is complete. The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions, their first title in franchise history. Next on the calendar is the offseason, with pitchers and catchers reporting in February 2027.
Quick Facts
- Round: Wild Card Series, the first round of the 2026 MLB playoffs
- Dates: September 29 to October 1 (Game 1 Sept 29, Game 2 Sept 30, Game 3 if needed Oct 1)
- Format: best-of-three; the higher seed hosts all three games
- Field: six teams per league; the top two seeds get a bye to the Division Series
- Matchups: seed 3 vs seed 6 and seed 4 vs seed 5 in each league
- TV: NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network (the Wild Card round’s new home for 2026)
How the Wild Card Series Works
Twelve teams reach the postseason, six from each league. The three division winners are seeded one through three by record, and the three wild-card teams are seeded four through six. The top two seeds in each league skip the Wild Card round and wait in the Division Series. That leaves four clubs per league to play best-of-three Wild Card Series: the No. 3 seed hosts the No. 6 seed, and the No. 4 seed hosts the No. 5 seed. Every game is played at the higher seed’s ballpark, so there are no travel days and the reward for a better record is three straight home games.
2026 Wild Card Series matchups
All four Wild Card Series are best-of-three, and the higher seed hosts every game. Here is the 2026 bracket.
National League
| Series | Matchup | Host ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| NL No. 4 vs No. 5 | San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs | Petco Park, San Diego |
| NL No. 3 vs No. 6 | Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies | Truist Park, Atlanta |
NL first-round byes to the Division Series: No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers and No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers.
American League
| Series | Matchup | Host ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| AL No. 4 vs No. 5 | New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox | Yankee Stadium, New York |
| AL No. 3 vs No. 6 | Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox | Daikin Park, Houston |
AL first-round byes to the Division Series: No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays and No. 2 Cleveland Guardians.
The field is set. The Houston Astros edged Texas by one game to win the AL West and claim the No. 3 seed and host the Chicago White Sox, and the Philadelphia Phillies held off Arizona for the National League No. 6 seed and a trip to Atlanta. First pitch times on Tuesday, September 29 (ET): Phillies at Braves 2:00 pm, White Sox at Astros 5:00 pm, Red Sox at Yankees 8:00 pm, Cubs at Padres 10:00 pm.
Dates and TV Schedule
| Game | Date | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Game 1 (all four series) | Tuesday, Sept 29 | NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Wild Card Game 2 | Wednesday, Sept 30 | NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
| Wild Card Game 3 (if necessary) | Thursday, Oct 1 | NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Network |
The Wild Card round moves to NBC and Peacock for 2026, the first time NBC has carried postseason baseball in a generation. Game 1 times on Tuesday, September 29 (ET): Phillies at Braves 2:00 pm, White Sox at Astros 5:00 pm, Red Sox at Yankees 8:00 pm, Cubs at Padres 10:00 pm.
Printable Wild Card Bracket and Series Tracker
Download the free printable: a blank Wild Card bracket for both leagues plus a best-of-three series tracker so you can log every game to the Division Series.
What Comes After the Wild Card Round
Wild Card Series winners advance to the Division Series, which begins Saturday, October 3 against the two teams that earned first-round byes. The League Championship Series follow, with the NLCS starting October 11 and the ALCS October 12, and the World Series opens Friday, October 23.
More from Sports Brackets
- 2026 MLB playoff bracket, schedule and matchups
- 2026 MLB postseason TV schedule: every round, channel and time
- 2026 MLB magic numbers tracker
- 2026 MLB playoff tiebreaker rules
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series start?
Game 1 of all four Wild Card Series is Tuesday, September 29, with Game 2 on September 30 and a Game 3 if needed on October 1.
How does the Wild Card round work?
It is a best-of-three series. In each league the No. 3 seed hosts the No. 6 seed and the No. 4 seed hosts the No. 5 seed, with all games at the higher seed’s ballpark. The top two seeds get a bye to the Division Series.
What channel is the Wild Card Series on?
The 2026 Wild Card round airs on NBC, streams on Peacock, and also appears on NBC Sports Network. It is the first year NBC carries the round.
Last updated: September 12, 2026.
