2026 SMBC Japan Series Schedule by Stadium
The 2026 SMBC Japan Series is scheduled to open on October 24. This guide covers home stadium assignments for each game, travel days, start times based on the qualifying teams, and schedule changes if games are postponed by rain.
The 2026 SMBC Japan Series is scheduled to open on October 24.
Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 will be played at the Central League qualifying team's home stadium.
Games 3 to 5 are assigned to the Pacific League qualifying team's home stadium.
The winner of each league's Climax Series will compete.
The series ends when one team wins four games, but postponements or ties may extend the schedule.
The SMBC Japan Series 2026 is scheduled to begin on October 24. The first game will be played at the Central League representative’s home ballpark. Game 7 is scheduled for November 1 (Japan). The winners of the two leagues’ Climax Series will face each other.
The schedule and figures in this article are based on NPB’s announcement of October 9, 2026.
Key tournament information
The SMBC Japan Series determines the champion of Japanese professional baseball. It is organized by NPB, the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. Its official name is SMBC Japan Series 2026 (SMBC日本シリーズ2026).
Item | Announced details for 2026
Participating teams | Winners of the Central League and Pacific League Climax Series
Scheduled opening date | Saturday, October 24, 2026
Scheduled date of Game 7 | Sunday, November 1, 2026
Standard ballpark allocation | Central League for 2 games, Pacific League for 3 games, Central League for 2 games
Travel days | October 26 and October 30, 2026
When the series ends | When one team reaches 4 wins
Actual ballparks | Determined by which teams advance from each league
NPB’s tournament guidelines state when the series ends as follows.
一方のチームが4勝した時点で日本シリーズは終了。 NPB, SMBC Japan Series 2026 tournament guidelines
This means the series ends when one team reaches 4 wins. Not every game on the schedule will necessarily be played. The original wording is available in the NPB tournament guidelines.
Game-by-game schedule and travel days
Games 1 and 2 and Games 6 and 7 are scheduled for weekends. Games 3 through 5 run from Tuesday through Thursday. All dates below are for 2026 in Japan.
Item | Scheduled date | Day | Ballpark allocation
Game 1 | October 24 | Saturday | Central League representative’s home ballpark
Game 2 | October 25 | Sunday | Central League representative’s home ballpark
Travel day | October 26 | Monday | No game
Game 3 | October 27 | Tuesday | Pacific League representative’s home ballpark
Game 4 | October 28 | Wednesday | Pacific League representative’s home ballpark
Game 5 | October 29 | Thursday | Pacific League representative’s home ballpark
Travel day | October 30 | Friday | No game
Game 6 | October 31 | Saturday | Central League representative’s home ballpark
Game 7 | November 1 | Sunday | Central League representative’s home ballpark
This is the standard schedule if there are no postponements. Games from Game 5 onward may not be played if a champion has already been decided. The game-by-game allocation also appears on the NPB 2026 event schedule.
The difference between the Climax Series and the Japan Series
The Climax Series determines each league’s Japan Series representative. The Japan Series is the stage where those two representatives face each other. Winning the regular season alone does not secure a Japan Series berth.
Stage | Role | Scheduled start date in 2026
Climax Series First Stage | The regular-season second- and third-place teams face each other | October 10
Climax Series Final Stage | The regular-season first-place team faces the First Stage winner | October 14
Japan Series | The winners of the two leagues’ Climax Series face each other | October 24
The October 9 announcement described qualification in these terms. Team-specific ticket announcements are conditional on those teams advancing. A sales announcement alone does not mean a team has qualified.
Ballparks and start times by qualifying team
Ballparks and start times depend on which teams advance. The following are the conditional plans included in the October 9 announcement. All times are local time in Japan.
If this team advances | Ballpark | Games | Scheduled start time
Hanshin (阪神) | Hanshin Koshien Stadium (阪神甲子園球場) | Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 | All at 18:30
Yomiuri (読売) | Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム) | Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 | All at 18:00
Yokohama DeNA (横浜DeNA) | Yokohama Stadium (横浜スタジアム) | Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 | Games 1 and 6 at 18:30; Games 2 and 7 at 18:00
Fukuoka SoftBank (福岡ソフトバンク) | Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka (みずほPayPayドーム福岡) | Games 3, 4, and 5 | All at 18:00
Saitama Seibu (埼玉西武) | Belluna Dome (ベルーナドーム) | Games 3, 4, and 5 | Games 3 and 5 at 18:00; Game 4 at 18:30
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham (北海道日本ハム) | Es Con Field HOKKAIDO (エスコンフィールドHOKKAIDO) | Games 3, 4, and 5 | All at 18:00
The schedule does not use all six ballparks. Games will be played at the home ballparks of the teams that advance from each league. Start times may also change if games are postponed.
What to watch
The move between home ballparks is one factor to watch in the 2026 series. Under the standard schedule, the Central League team hosts the opening and closing portions. The Pacific League team hosts the middle portion.
· The Central League has 4 scheduled home games, and the Pacific League has 3.
· The designated hitter rule applies to games at the Pacific League representative’s home ballpark.
· A designated hitter is a player who bats in place of the pitcher.
· Starting pitchers will be announced in advance for every game.
If a champion is decided early, the final set of home games will not be played. If one team wins the first four games, the series ends with Game 4. In that case, scheduled Games 5 through 7 will not be played.
How rain postponements change the schedule
If a game is canceled because of rain or another reason, it is generally postponed and played at the same ballpark. Travel days are then adjusted according to which game was canceled. There are exceptions for pairings of regions where same-day travel is difficult.
Canceled game | Standard handling | Travel-day adjustment
Game 1 or Game 2 | Postponed and played at the same ballpark | Keep a travel day before Game 3 and remove the travel day between Games 5 and 6
Game 3 or later | Postponed and played at the same ballpark | Remove the travel day between Games 5 and 6
Pairing of regions where same-day travel is difficult | Apply the exception in the tournament guidelines | Keep travel days between Games 2 and 3 and between Games 5 and 6
Check the NPB tournament page again for the schedule after a postponement. (Verified details: The announced 2026 schedule has Game 1 on October 24 (Japan), Game 2 on October 25, Game 3 on October 27, Game 4 on October 28, Game 5 on October 29, Game 6 on October 31, and Game 7 on November 1. · Source: npb.jp · Checked 2026-10-09) Simply adding a day to the original dates may give the wrong result. Check the following:
· Identify which game was canceled.
· Check its new date and ballpark.
· Check whether a travel day remains before the next game.
· Check for changes to the start time and gate-opening time.
Could games be played after November 1?
November 1 is the scheduled date of Game 7 under the standard schedule. The series could continue longer if games are postponed because of rain or end in a tie. It should not be treated as a confirmed final end date.
Situation | Handling under the tournament guidelines
A game through Game 7 is tied after 12 innings | The game ends in a tie
Ties leave the champion undecided after Game 7 | Game 8 is played the next day at the same ballpark
Game 9 is also needed | It is played at the opposing team’s ballpark after one travel day
Extra innings from Game 8 onward | No limit on extra innings
How to check tickets and broadcasts
Tickets for attending games are available through the official sellers listed by NPB. Advance lotteries and general sales have different application procedures. The sales schedule below uses 2026 local time in Japan.
Method | Officially announced schedule | What to check
Lawson Ticket (ローソンチケット) advance lottery | October 13, 10:00~October 15, 23:00 | Eligibility and lottery conditions
Advance lottery | October 14, 10:00~October 17, 18:00 | Seats offered by each seller
General sale | From October 22, 12:00 | Seats actually on sale and remaining quantities
TV and online broadcasts | Cannot be confirmed from the announcements checked for this article alone | Game-by-game schedules from the qualifying teams and broadcasters
Ticket prices are listed in NPB’s ballpark-specific sales-guidelines PDFs. (Verified details: Announced 2026 Japan Series prices at Yokohama Stadium are 1,000~23,000 yen per person, including tax. The 1,000-yen HamaSta admission ticket does not allow entry to the stands. The third-base dugout top seat at Belluna Dome is 22,000 yen (tax). · Source: npb.jp · Checked 2026-10-09) It is difficult to compare prices using a single figure without specifying the ballpark and seat type. The list of official sellers is on the NPB ticket information page.
Broadcast service names and fees should not be presented as settled when they have not been confirmed. An announcement about broadcasts within Japan also does not establish whether viewers in Korea can watch. The service’s official guidance determines where it is available.
Dates and game numbers to save in your calendar
It is more accurate to record both the date and game number in your calendar. A ticket for a postponed game remains valid for that game number rather than its original date. This rule is stated in announcements from Seibu and Yokohama DeNA.
Item to save | Example | Why it matters
Game number | Japan Series Game 3 | Identifies the game to track even if its date changes
Scheduled date | October 27, 2026 | Must be updated after a postponement
Venue condition | Pacific League representative’s home ballpark | Prevents mistaking a conditional venue for a confirmed ballpark before the qualifying team is decided
Game status | Scheduled, postponed, or not played because a champion was decided | Distinguishes whether the game can be attended and how tickets are handled
Ticket handling differs between a postponement and a game not played because a champion has been decided. Yokohama DeNA’s announcement says refunds are not given for a date change caused by a postponement. Refunds for games not played because a champion has been decided follow separate guidance. The relevant conditions appear in the Yokohama DeNA ticket announcement.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Japan Series start on October 10?
The Japan Series is scheduled to begin on October 24, 2026. October 10 (Japan) is the start date of the Climax Series First Stage. The two competitions serve different purposes: one determines the qualifying teams, and the other decides the final champion.
Does this mean Seibu or Yokohama DeNA has qualified?
A team’s ticket sales announcement does not mean it has qualified. It applies if that team reaches the Japan Series. The final matchup is determined by the results of each league’s Climax Series.
Are start times the same for games at the same ballpark?
Start times can vary by game. Games 1 and 6 at Yokohama Stadium are scheduled for 18:30. Games 2 and 7 are listed for 18:00.
If I buy a Game 7 ticket, am I guaranteed to see a game?
Game 7 will not be played if a champion is decided in an earlier game. The series ends when one team reaches 4 wins. Check the seller’s guidance for refund terms if a game is not played. (Verified details: For 2026 Japan Series games at Yokohama Stadium and Belluna Dome not played because a champion has been decided, the ticket refund period is November 2~November 22. For Lawson Ticket electronic tickets, it is November 6~November 20. · Source: npb.jp · Checked 2026-10-09)
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