MLB Wild Card Series Format: How many games are played in this round and which teams qualified for the 2026 postseason?
Eight teams fight for four tickets to the Division Series in an intense Wild Card round
The excitement of the 2026 MLB postseason is already underway, with the Wild Card Series kicking off this Tuesday September 29. The format once again relies on the intensity of short series, with only three games per matchup and each one crucial to the teams' aspirations.
This year, there will be four matchups, two per league, to determine the teams that advance to the Divisional Round. With historic rivalries, maximum excitement and teams with no margin for error, the road to the 2025 World Series begins
How does the 2026 MLB Wild Card work and how many games are played?
The Wild Card round maintains its format established in recent seasons: best-of-three series and the higher-seeded team in each series is the host throughout the tie, which could make the difference in such close games.
The Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers were the four teams that earned an initial bye, advancing directly to the next phase for finishing among the best in their respective leagues. Meanwhile, the other eight teams face off this week in a schedule that could change the course of the postseason.
Which teams qualified for the 2026 MLB Wild Card and When are the matchups?
In the American League, the spotlight is on high-voltage duels: Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees. In both cases, there are divisional rivalries at play, which further raises the tension. The schedule for this games will be:
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
Game 1 : Tuesday September 29, at 5:00 p.m. ET
Game 2 : Wednesday September 30, at 5:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 : Thursday October 1, TBD*
Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees
Game 1 : Tuesday September 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 2 : Wednesday September 30, at 8:00 p.m. ET
The winner of each matchup will advance to the Divisional Round, where the teams that received a bye are already waiting. From there, the series will be best-of-five and then, both the Championship Series and World Series will be best-of-seven.
