The 2026 MLB regular season starts in late March: the first official game is Yankees vs. Giants on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, followed by full Opening Day for the other 28 teams on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

When does MLB start?

  • Opening Night:
    • Date: March 25, 2026
    • Matchup: San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees.
  • Traditional Opening Day (major slate):
    • Date: March 26, 2026
    • All other 28 teams begin their seasons.
  • This is the earliest traditional Opening Day in MLB history, beating previous late‑March starts.

Quick timeline view

Item| Date| Notes
---|---|---
Opening Night| March 25, 2026| Giants at Yankees, standalone national game.1359
Opening Day (full)| March 26, 2026| Remaining 28 teams play; traditional start of season.13579

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.