Major League Baseball has released its provisional schedule for the 2026 postseason, outlining a six‑round tournament that will begin on Tuesday, September 29 with the Wild Card Series.
Twelve franchises — six from the American League and six from the National League — will qualify for the playoffs, and the two highest‑seeded division winners in each league earn a first‑round bye, skipping the opening round of best‑of‑three matchups.
The remaining four teams in each league will contest two best‑of‑three Wild Card Series, the winners of which advance to the Division Series. All Wild Card games are slated to be televised on NBC, providing a national platform for the opening round.
Broadcast Coverage
TBS will carry the American League Division Series, while the National League Division Series, along with the National League Championship Series, will be split among FOX, FS1 and the newly launched FOX One. The World Series itself will be aired exclusively on FOX and streamed through FOX One, ensuring a single‑network presentation for the championship round.
Start times and specific matchups will be finalized only after the regular season concludes and the official seeding is determined, meaning the exact dates and broadcast windows remain fluid.
Although the schedule has been announced, officials have emphasized that all dates are tentative and subject to adjustment based on weather, travel considerations and other logistical factors.