About seven weeks remain in the MLB regular season, meaning the postseason is right around the corner. The full 2026 MLB playoff schedule was revealed on Monday, August 10, including dates for the 2026 World Series.
Below, we’ll highlight the full 2026 MLB playoffs schedule, answering several questions—including when is the World Series? Plus, we’ll circle a few MLB projections on PrizePicks Team Picks, underlining teams with true World Series aspirations.
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When Do the MLB Playoffs Start?
The 2026 MLB playoffs are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 29—a quick turnaround from the regular season ending on Sunday, September 27.
The top two seeds in each league will enjoy some rest thanks to byes in the first round of the playoffs.
As of this writing, the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox hold the top two seeds in the American League. The National League is topped by the Milwaukee Brewers, while the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied for second place in the NL.
Full MLB Playoffs Schedule for 2026 Postseason
The 2026 MLB playoffs begin with four Wild Card matchups, featuring two games in each division. Those matchups are a best-of-three series, followed by a five-game series in the Divisional Round and best-of-seven matchups in the NLCS, ALCS, and World Series.
Here’s a full look at the MLB playoffs schedule, including start and end dates for each round of the postseason.
2026 MLB Playoffs Schedule
Keep in mind the end dates of each series may shift with teams bound to advance in dominant fashion. However, the start dates of each round are set in stone, meaning we may enjoy playoff baseball for all of October—pending if we get a Game 7 in the World Series on Halloween.
You can make MLB playoff predictions now on PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn real money if your picks are right. Projections are available for teams to qualify for the playoffs, who will win the American League and National League, the 2026 World Series winner, and more!
Payout multipliers indicate real-money earnings if your MLB predictions are correct. For example, 2x on a $100 entry pays $200 if correct on PrizePicks Team Picks. A lower payout multiplier signals a higher implied probability of that result based on user picks.
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When is the 2026 World Series?
The 2026 World Series is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 23. If the series advances to a Game 7, the final game would take place on Halloween, slated for Saturday, October 31.
Check out the full schedule for this season’s edition of the World Series.
2026 World Series Schedule
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, the Dodgers have the shortest payout to win the World Series (2.43x). They would be the first MLB team to three-peat since the Yankees did it from 1998 to 2000.
Following L.A., the Yankees (7.14x), Brewers (8.33x), Red Sox (9.09x), and Braves (10x) have the next shortest payouts to win the World Series.
Payouts are live at the time of writing and are subject to change.
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Where to Watch the MLB Playoffs, World Series
Finally, let’s look at how you can watch the upcoming MLB playoffs and World Series.
NBC and Peacock will televise the Wild Card Series, followed by TBS and FOX showcasing the Divisional and Championship Series. Finally, FOX will wrap up the 2026 MLB season with coverage of the World Series.
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Make MLB Predictions on PrizePicks
The full MLB playoff schedule is here, and that means the postseason will arrive in the blink of an eye. With under two months of the regular season remaining, the Dodgers remain the clear favorite to win the World Series, but teams like the blazing-hot Red Sox are also making a push to compete.
Don’t wait until the MLB playoffs begin—make your MLB predictions on PrizePicks Team Picks now and earn real money if you’re right.
With Team Picks, you can make predictions on teams to qualify for the MLB playoffs, division winners, World Series winners, and more—now available in 36 states.
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily MLB predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through the 2026 MLB season.
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