MLB Releases 2026 Schedule, Gets Overshadowed By Taylor Swift

Miami Marlins / Sam Greene / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Major League Baseball just can’t get out of its own way. No national TV deal, a bunch of terrible umpires, a clueless commissioner, and now, on the very day, at almost the exact same time, MLB reveals its 2026 schedule and wouldn’t you know it, Taylor Swift goes and gets engaged.

For those of you that are more interested in Major League Baseball’s 2026 schedule than what kind of engagement ring Taylor Swift got from Travis Kelce, this is still a very interesting day. For 2026, MLB will once again use the same balanced schedule it has been using since 2023. So that means that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred will have to wait at least one more season before he can implement his grand plan for geographical realignment of the league’s divisions.

timed schedule release with Taylor’s engagement, masterclass

— Blooper (@BlooperBraves) August 26, 2025

The mlb schedule drop happening the exact same time as Taylor swift engagement announcement is some truly astounding levels of curb your enthusiasm. Can’t make it up

— Joey (@JoeyMulinaro) August 26, 2025

The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin on Wednesday, March 25 in San Francisco with the Giants taking on the New York Yankees. That will be the only game that day though. MLB will have all of the other teams begin play with a full “Opening Day” on March 26. (Only in baseball does that make sense.) All of that will be preceded by the World Baseball Classic which will run from March 6 through March 17.

Other highlights of the 2026 MLB schedule include the return of the Field of Dreams Game to, well, the Field of Dreams in Iowa. In 2024, MLB held a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama and in 2025, the league played at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee instead of having a Field of Dreams game. The 2023 game didn’t happen due to construction at the Field of Dreams.

Thanks a lot, Taylor Swift. Now no one cares that next year's schedule is out.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/77SMUdbrl8

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 26, 2025

Rivalry Weekend will also return on May 15-17 in 2026, and the All-Star Game, which will honor the 250th anniversary of American independence will take place on July 14 in Philadelphia. Other special days include Jackie Robinson Day (April 15), Lou Gehrig Day (June 2), Roberto Clemente Day (Sept. 15), and on Sept. 11-13, the the Yankees and Mets will play to recognize the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. The season will officially come to an end on Sept. 27.

The FIFA men’s World Cup means that several teams, including those in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Seattle, and Arlington, will have to make space on their calendars as fans will be flocking to those events and not to a regular season baseball game. Meanwhile, the Athletics will still be trying to draw fans in Sacramento and the Rays will find out if any fans want to return to Tropicana Field with the team.