Aug 17, 2020; Bronx, New York, USA; A general view of rain falling on the New York Yankees logo on the first base dugout roof during a rain delay in the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees Fans Get Bad News on 2026 London Game

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Noah Strackbein | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 8:30 AM ET

The New York Yankees were hopefully part of a trip overseas to take on their American League East rivals in London during the 2026 season. But because of scheduling issues with West Ham's London Stadium and the sport's television partners, the league has decided to nix the plans, keeping the Yankees state-bound all of next year.

The Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays were set to play each other in London during the 2026 campaign as part of a two game series overseas. The games were scheduled for June 13 and 14, but West Ham's London Stadium is hosting the Premier League finale against Leeds on May 24. The game did not leave enough time to transition the field from a soccer playing surface to an MLB field.

The league was then unable to push the game to later in June because Fox had commitments to air the men's World Cup.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the news during Front Office Sports' "Tuned In" event.

David Banks-Imagn Images

The last time the Yankees made their way over to London was in 2019 when the Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox in a two-game series. In 2020, the league tried to host the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, but the event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2023, the Cardinals and Cubs went over, and then in 2024 the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets played in London.

The MLB's labor contract had games in Paris in 2025 but were canceled because the association couldn't find a promotor.

"We remain interested in Europe. We think London is an important jumping off point for us," Manfred said. "We have a facility that has come a long way since the first Yankee-Red Sox game. It's a much better ballpark now than it was due to their willingness to make investments in that. 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."

India also feels like an eventual landing spot, and Mexico City continues to be a stopping ground for the MLB. The league played in 2023 and 2024 there.

"We have worked very hard to develop better relationships with the Mexican professional leagues," Manfred said. "We think we can ultimately build those relationships in a way that they look like Japan and Korea: The domestic professional league thrives, but we have enough players coming to the U.S. to play that it drives our business here in the U.S."

But in 2026, Yankees fans will need to visit either the Bronx or Toronto to see the Pinstripes and Blue Jays face. Maybe in 2027 things will change.

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