MLB Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Schedule, Scores & Playoff Picture
The 2026 World Series is the Milwaukee Brewers against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Brewers lead 2-0 after winning Game 1 3-2 and Game 2 5-4. Game 3 is Monday, October 26 at 8:00 PM ET at Tropicana Field on Fox. The Brewers can clinch as early as Game 4 on Tuesday, October 27. Neither franchise has ever won the World Series, so this year's champion will be a first-time winner: the Brewers (they lost in 1982) and the Rays (they lost in 2008 and 2020).
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2026 World Series: Brewers vs Rays
Times Eastern. The pennant winner with the better regular-season record hosts Games 1, 2, 6 and 7. Tap a series for every game.
| Game | Date | Matchup | Result / first pitch | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Fri, Oct 23 | Rays at Brewers | Brewers 3-2 | American Family Field |
| Game 2 | Sat, Oct 24 | Rays at Brewers | Brewers 5-4 | American Family Field |
| Game 3 | Mon, Oct 26 | Brewers at Rays | Tropicana Field | |
| Game 4 | Tue, Oct 27 | Brewers at Rays | Tropicana Field | |
| Game 5if necessary | Wed, Oct 28 | Brewers at Rays | Tropicana Field | |
| Game 6if necessary | Fri, Oct 30 | Rays at Brewers | American Family Field | |
| Game 7if necessary | Sat, Oct 31 | Rays at Brewers | American Family Field |
Every game is on Fox. Games marked if necessary are played only if the series is still going. Times show in your time zone.
Road to the World Series
- Wild CardBye (top-two seed)
- LDSBeat the Padres 3-1
- LCSBeat the Dodgers 4-0
- Wild CardBye (top-two seed)
- LDSBeat the Yankees 3-0
- LCSBeat the Guardians 4-2
2026 MLB Playoff Bracket
American League
Red Sox0
Yankees ✓2
White Sox ✓2
Astros0National League
Cubs0
Padres ✓2
Phillies1
Braves ✓2American League
Yankees0Rays ✓3White Sox2
Guardians ✓3National League
Padres1Brewers ✓3Braves1
Dodgers ✓3American League
Guardians2Rays ✓4National League
Dodgers0Brewers ✓4Rays0Brewers22026 MLB Playoff Schedule and TV
| Dates | Round | Format | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29 – Oct 1, 2026 | Wild Card Series | Best of 3. The higher seed hosts every game | NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Network |
| Oct 3–10, 2026 | Division Series | Best of 5. Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and 5 (2-2-1) | NLDS on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes; ALDS on TBS, truTV and HBO Max |
| Oct 11–20, 2026 | League Championship Series | Best of 7. Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 (2-3-2) | NLCS on FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes; ALCS on TBS, truTV and HBO Max |
| Oct 23–31, 2026 | World Series | Best of 7. The pennant winner with the better regular-season record hosts Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 | FOX and FOX Deportes |
Game times are set a day or two ahead and update here automatically. Full schedule with scores →
How the MLB Playoffs Work
- Who qualifies: in each league, the three division winners (seeds 1-3, by record) and the three best remaining records (wild cards, seeds 4-6).
- Byes: seeds 1 and 2 skip the Wild Card Series, which is best of three and played entirely at the higher seed: No. 3 hosts No. 6, No. 4 hosts No. 5.
- No reseeding: the 4/5 winner plays No. 1 and the 3/6 winner plays No. 2. Division Series best of five, League Championship Series and World Series best of seven.
- Ties and home field: standings ties are broken by tiebreakers, with no Game 163; World Series home field goes to the pennant winner with the better record.
World Series Champions
| Year | Champion | Series | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-3 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 | New York Yankees |
| 2023 | Texas Rangers | 4-1 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 2022 | Houston Astros | 4-2 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 | Houston Astros |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-2 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 2019 | Washington Nationals | 4-3 | Houston Astros |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox | 4-1 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | 4-3 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2016 | Chicago Cubs | 4-3 | Cleveland Indians |
The Dodgers won in 2024 and 2025, the first back-to-back champions since the 1998-2000 Yankees.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rest of the 2026 World Series schedule?
Game 3 Mon, Oct 26 at Rays; Game 4 Tue, Oct 27 at Rays; Game 5 Wed, Oct 28 at Rays (if necessary); Game 6 Fri, Oct 30 at Brewers (if necessary); Game 7 Sat, Oct 31 at Brewers (if necessary). First pitch is 8:00 PM ET.
What channel is the World Series on?
Every game is on Fox.
When can the Brewers win the World Series?
Leading 2-0, the Milwaukee Brewers need 2 more wins. The earliest they can clinch is Game 4 on Tuesday, October 27.
Have the Milwaukee Brewers ever won the World Series?
No. They reached it in 1982 and lost.
Have the Tampa Bay Rays ever won the World Series?
No. They reached it in 2008 and 2020 and lost.
Which teams are still alive in the MLB playoffs?
2: the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers.
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.