Philadelphia to Host MLB All-Star Game in 2026

April 16, 2019

First All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park

2026 Midsummer Classic connected to America’s Semiquincentennial Celebration

With Independence National Historical Park as a backdrop, Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies, the City of Philadelphia and the PHLCVB announced officially on Tuesday, April 16 that Philadelphia will host the 2026 MLB All-Star Game and accompanying All-Star Week events.

See the full announcement here.

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt addresses the crowd. Schmidt owns the most All-Star selections in Phillies history. Photo by K. Huff for PHLCVB.

The 97th Midsummer Classic will be a centerpiece to the celebration of the 250th anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of American Independence. This follows precedent from 1976, when Veterans Stadium hosted the All-Star Game during the year of the nation’s bicentennial.

The 2026 All-Star Game will mark the fifth time that the City of Philadelphia will host the event, including the first ever All-Star game at Citizens Bank Park. Previously Philadelphia hosted the games in 1943, 1952, 1976 and 1996.

Phillies All-Stars Odubel Herrera and Bryce Harper were in attendance for the MLB All-Star Game announcement on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Photo by K. Huff for PHLCVB.

The star-studded announcement included:

Robert D. Manfred, Jr. Commissioner of Baseball

Tom Wolf, Governor of Pennsylvania

Jim Kenney, Mayor, City of Philadelphia

John Middleton, Managing Partner, Philadelphia Phillies

Gabe Kapler, Manager, Philadelphia Phillies, along with

Current and past Phillies All-Stars including Bryce Harper, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Nola, Jimmy Rollins, Mike Schmidt, and Greg Luzinski

Standing before Independence Hall, Governor Tom Wolf welcomed the announcement. Pennsylvania has deep baseball roots from the Little League World Series in Williamsport to minor league teams in cities like Erie, Reading, Lehigh Valley and Altoona, and the Keystone State’s two historic MLB franchise teams.

Mayor Jim Kenney cited the dedication and community involvement of organizations like the Philadelphia Phillies. “Through the leadership of Bill Giles, David Montgomery and Andy MacPhail, the Phillies have helped foster a sports-loving, family-friendly atmosphere where fans can come together, under the banner of sport, to develop community and celebrate our city and our team.” Commissioner Manfred and John Middleton recognized David Montgomery for his tremendous leadership in bringing this event back to Philadelphia. Montgomery is Chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies and chairs the PHLCVB’s PHL Sports Advisory Board.

The MLB All-Star Game announcement in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Photo by K. Huff for PHLCVB.

In 1976, in honor of America’s bicentennial year, a number of national and international sporting events picked Philadelphia as their home, including baseball, hockey, basketball, the NCAA Final Four and many more. This announcement also follows the news that the PGA has chosen Philadelphia to host the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club and the 2026 U.S. Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club.

Philadelphia has been selected as one of 23 prospective host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ – a list that will be narrowed down to the final 16 host cities in the next few years. You can join the effort to bring the games to Philadelphia at Philadelphia2026.com.

Sports and sporting events are an important part of Philadelphia’s tourism economy, demonstrated with the recent success of the 2017 NFL Draft, which generated a huge economic impact for the region and brought fans from all over the country to Philadelphia. The multi-day event is expected to attract over 100,000 fans to Philadelphia and generate over 30,000 hotel room nights.

 

The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) is the official tourism promotion agency for the City of Philadelphia globally and the primary sales and marketing agency for the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

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