Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed future All-Star host sites as part of his media scrum on Thursday. While the plans have not been finalized, Manfred implied that the Blue Jays and Cubs have good chances to host the festivities in 2027 and 2028 (link via Evan Drellich of The Athletic).
“With respect to those two years, I am strongly influenced by two things. One, when did you last have a game? Toronto stacks up pretty well on that variable. I think Chicago is older,” the commissioner said. “The city being willing to step up on those issues is the other big variable. Our All-Star (events), what’s become most of the week, we need certain facilities and certain kinds of support in terms of security.”
Toronto has not hosted the All-Star Game since 1991, the only such time in franchise history. The city of Chicago has hosted seven times, more than any other save New York. Chicago last hosted in 2003, although that was at the White Sox’ stadium (then known as U.S. Cellular Field). The All-Star Game was last played at Wrigley Field in 1990. The Friendly Confines has hosted on three occasions: 1947, ’62, and ’90.
The next three All-Star host cities are already finalized. It’ll be in Arlington this summer, the first time Texas hosts since opening Globe Life Field four years ago. The festivities go Atlanta in 2025 (the Braves were originally slated to host in 2021 but MLB moved that year’s game to Colorado in response to Georgia election laws). Philadelphia was awarded the ’26 Midsummer Classic to coincide with celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The 2027-28 games will be the final of Manfred’s tenure as commissioner. He announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of his current term in January ’29.
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