NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 2025 — Major League Baseball has scrapped plans for two games in London next season due to scheduling conflicts with West Ham‘s stadium and its broadcast partner.
MLB won’t return to London in 2026 as initially planned due to stadium and broadcast issues.
- Major League Baseball has canceled its 2026 London series.
- Scheduling conflicts with West Ham’s stadium and Fox’s broadcast commitments were cited.
- MLB remains committed to international expansion, focusing on Europe, India, and Mexico.
- Previous London series were held in 2019, 2023, and 2024.
Major League Baseball has abandoned plans to play two games in London next season. The decision stems from scheduling conflicts involving West Ham’s London Stadium and the sport’s television partner.
MLB had hoped to feature the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays for games on June 13 and 14, 2026. However, West Ham’s Premier League finale against Leeds is set for May 24. This left insufficient time to convert the stadium for baseball. Further complicating matters, MLB’s broadcast partner, Fox, lacked available slots later in June due to commitments for the men’s World Cup.
Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed the cancellation during a question-and-answer session following Front Office Sports’ “Tuned In” event.
The league’s previous foray into London was in 2019, where the Yankees swept a two-game series against the Boston Red Sox. A planned 2020 series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs was a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. More recently, the Cardinals and Cubs split a series in 2023, followed by the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in 2024.
MLB’s labor contract had also included provisions for games in Paris in 2025, but those were called off when MLB and the players’ association couldn’t secure a promoter.
“We remain interested in Europe. We think London is an important jumping off point for us,” Manfred stated. He noted improvements to the London stadium since the initial 2019 games, acknowledging West Ham’s investments. “We continue to believe that there’s an opportunity there and that we can get at the developed economies in Europe through that London entree.”
Manfred also highlighted MLB’s growing interest in India, citing the nation’s passion for cricket. “We’re really starting from the bottom up,” he said, referring to grassroots initiatives.
Mexico remains another priority for the league. MLB has a history of playing regular-season games there, with previous series in Monterrey (1996, 1999, 2018, 2019) and Mexico City (2023, 2024). The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres are slated to play in Mexico City on April 25 and 26, 2026.
Manfred expressed optimism about developing stronger relationships with Mexican professional leagues. “We think we can ultimately build those relationships in a way that they look like Japan and Korea,” he said, envisioning a scenario where domestic leagues thrive alongside MLB talent flowing to the U.S.
The Asian market has proven lucrative for MLB, particularly with the immense popularity of Shohei Ohtani. The league has opened seasons in Tokyo, Japan, multiple times (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2019, and 2025) and in Seoul, South Korea, in 2024.
“Our approach to international has always been country by country,” Manfred explained. He sees these international games as investments yielding returns, both in international revenue and national media interest, especially from streaming services looking to expand their reach in developed economies.
