Major League Baseball officially begins the 2026 regular season with a standalone Opening Night game on Wednesday, March 25, 2025, featuring the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants (8:05 PM ET on Netflix). The traditional, full-league Opening Day follows on Thursday, March 26, 2026, with a massive 11-game slate starting at 1:10 PM ET.

The 2026 MLB Opening Schedule at a Glance (Ie When is MLB Opening Day 2026)

Because of new streaming partnerships and a record-early start date, the “Opening Day” window is spread across three days this year for MLB. Just in time for us to start looking at the 2026 MLB Playoff schedules too 🙂 

• Wednesday, March 25: Opening Night (1 Game) – Netflix Exclusive
• Thursday, March 26: Traditional Opening Day (11 Games) – NBC, Peacock, & RSNs
• Friday, March 27: Opening Week Continues (Final 3 Season Openers)

Key Matchups to Watch

If you are looking for the biggest stars and the best pitching matchups, these are the three “Can’t Miss” windows for the first 24 hours of the season:

1. Yankees @ Giants (Wed, 8:05 PM ET): The first-ever MLB game to stream exclusively on Netflix.
2. Pirates @ Mets (Thu, 1:10 PM ET): The return of MLB to NBC. Paul Skenes is expected to take the mound for Pittsburgh in the earliest traditional start in league history.
3. D-Backs @ Dodgers (Thu, 8:30 PM ET): A massive NL West rivalry game in primetime on Peacock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MLB Opening Day on Netflix in 2026? Only the standalone “Opening Night” game on March 25 (Yankees vs. Giants) is on Netflix. The rest of the Opening Day slate on March 26 will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock, and local Regional Sports Networks (RSNs).

What is the earliest MLB Opening Day ever? March 26, 2026, marks the earliest traditional Opening Day in MLB history. The league moved the start date up to allow for more off-days during the summer and to accommodate schedule shifts caused by the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Where can I get the full Opening Week schedule? For a complete list of all 15 season-opening games, including pitching matchups and channel listings, check out our 2026 MLB Opening Day Schedule & TV Guide.

Will Lewis has covered sports for over 18 years, specializing in bracketology, tournament predictions, and in-depth analysis across college hoops, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and more. March Madness is his favorite season, fueling his quest for perfect brackets before diving into pro playoffs. A lifelong Kentucky Wildcats fan, Bengals supporter since the Joe Montana era, and now a Padres devotee, Will delivers reliable, fan-first insights at Sports Brackets. Connect on X or comment. He loves talking brackets and more.