MLB Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Schedule, Scores & Playoff Picture
The 2026 MLB playoffs are under way. This page tracks the live bracket, every result and what's next, updated after every game. Next up: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians, Monday, October 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT.
6Chicago White Sox84-78 · AL Central
2Cleveland Guardians85-77 · AL Central
Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
Los Angeles DodgersPlayoff Race at a Glance
Road to the World Series
- Regular seasonMar – Sep 27
- Wild CardSep 29 – Oct 1
- LDSOct 3–10
- LCSOct 11–20
- World SeriesOct 23–31
2026 MLB Playoff Bracket
2026 MLB Playoff Series
Today's playoff games
MLB Wild Card Race
Explore the MLB Playoffs
How the 2026 MLB Postseason Works
Twelve teams: six per league. The three division winners take seeds 1 to 3 and the three best remaining records are wild cards, seeds 4 to 6. Seeds 1 and 2 skip straight to the Division Series. The Wild Card Series (best of three) is played entirely at the higher seed’s park: No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts No. 5.
There is no reseeding: the 4/5 winner meets the No. 1 seed, the 3/6 winner meets the No. 2 seed. The Division Series is best of five (2-2-1), the League Championship Series and World Series best of seven (2-3-2).
World Series home field goes to the pennant winner with the better regular-season record. Ties in the standings are settled by head-to-head record; there has been no Game 163 since 2022. Full detail on the format and tiebreakers page.
How to Watch the 2026 MLB Playoffs
The Wild Card Series (Sept 29 to Oct 1) is on NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network, NBC’s first postseason baseball since 2000. In the Division Series and LCS the National League is on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes and the American League on TBS, truTV and HBO Max. The World Series (from Oct 23) is on FOX and FOX Deportes.
ESPN Radio carries every game; Spanish-language TV is on FOX Deportes, Universo and Univision. Streaming: Peacock for NBC games, HBO Max for TBS games, the FOX app for FOX games, and live-TV packages such as YouTube TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Sling for all of them. MLB.TV subscribers who log in through a pay-TV provider can watch the FOX, FS1 and TNT Sports games in the app.
Game times are posted round by round and appear on each schedule and game page.
2026 MLB Playoffs Key Dates
| Round | Dates | Format | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Series | Sep 29 – Oct 1, 2026 | Best of 3 | NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network |
| Division Series | Oct 3–10, 2026 | Best of 5 | NLDS on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes |
| League Championship Series | Oct 11–20, 2026 | Best of 7 | NLCS on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes |
| World Series | Oct 23–31, 2026 | Best of 7 | FOX and FOX Deportes |
The regular season ends on Sep 27, 2026. The wild card standings and magic numbers pages track the race to the last day.
2026 MLB Playoffs FAQ
Which teams are still alive in the MLB playoffs?
8: the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cleveland Guardians, the New York Yankees, the Chicago White Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres.
What channel is the Division Series on?
NLDS on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes; ALDS on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
When does the 2026 World Series start?
Game 1 is Friday, October 23 at the pennant winner with the better record, on FOX; Game 7, if needed, is Saturday, October 31.
Can a wild card win the World Series?
Yes. The 2023 Texas Rangers and the 2019 Washington Nationals both won it as wild cards.
Is there a Game 163 for ties?
No. Since 2022, ties in the standings are settled by tiebreakers, starting with head-to-head record, instead of an extra game.
Who won the 2025 World Series?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3 over the Toronto Blue Jays; Yoshinobu Yamamoto was World Series MVP.