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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The National League Division Series (NLDS) is a best-of-five playoff round: the first team to win three games advances. The higher seed hosts the first two games and, if needed, Game 5; the lower seed hosts Games 3 and 4. The 2026 schedule lists NLDS games from Oct. 3 through a possible Oct. 9 Game 5, though MLB may change dates or times.
How many teams reach the MLB postseason?
Twelve teams qualify, six from the National League and six from the American League. Each league sends its three division winners and three Wild Card teams to the postseason. The two division winners with the best records in each league receive byes into the Division Series.
Division winners occupy the top three seeds, ranked by record: the best division winner is No. 1, the next is No. 2, and the third is No. 3. Wild Card teams fill seeds 4 through 6 by record. Seeds 1 and 2 skip the Wild Card round.
How does the NLDS bracket work?
The bracket is fixed; teams are not reseeded after the Wild Card Series. In the National League, seeds 3 and 6 play each other, as do seeds 4 and 5. The 3-versus-6 winner faces No. 2 in the NLDS, while the 4-versus-5 winner faces No. 1.
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Each Wild Card matchup is a best-of-three series. The NLDS winners advance to the National League Championship Series, which, like the World Series, is a best-of-seven round.
What is the NLDS format and home-field pattern?
An NLDS is a best-of-five series. A club must win three games to advance; all five games are not automatically played. The higher seed has home-field advantage under the 2-2-1 format:
- Games 1 and 2: hosted by the higher seed.
- Games 3 and 4: hosted by the lower seed, if needed.
- Game 5: hosted by the higher seed, if needed.
What are the 2026 NLDS dates?
MLB’s posted 2026 postseason schedule lists these dates for the National League Division Series. Later games are conditional on the series needing them; dates and times may change, so consult MLB’s live postseason schedule for current listings.
| Game | Scheduled date | When played |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 | Both NLDS series are listed. |
| Game 2 | Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026 | Both series, if needed to complete the series. |
| Game 3 | Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 | Both series, if needed. |
| Game 4 | Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 | If needed. |
| Game 5 | Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 | If needed. |
The schedule lists NLDS broadcasts on FOX or FS1 and related FOX platforms; the live listing is the place to verify broadcast details alongside any schedule changes.
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- Official NFHS Rule Book
How are regular-season ties resolved?
MLB does not stage a Game 163 to resolve a regular-season tie affecting playoff qualification or seeding. Since the postseason expanded to 12 teams in 2022, those standings ties are decided by mathematical tiebreaking criteria. This process determines who qualifies or how teams are seeded; it does not decide a tied NLDS.
Two-team ties
MLB first compares head-to-head records. If the clubs remain tied, the comparison proceeds through intradivision record, intraleague record, and records in intraleague games after the All-Star break. If still necessary, MLB compares the clubs’ results in intraleague games, starting with the last game of the first-half intraleague schedule and moving backward one game at a time until a winner is determined.
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Three- and four-team ties
Multi-team tiebreaks have additional branches, so head-to-head alone may not settle them. For a three-team tie, MLB examines the clubs’ results against one another and then applies further record comparisons; the procedure varies if all three have identical records against each other. For a four-team tie for one spot, MLB first checks whether one club has a better record against each of the other three, then compares performance among the tied clubs, in the division, in the league, and in the second half, using individual-game results if needed. MLB’s tiebreaker explainer details the applicable branches.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does an NLDS tie use the standings tiebreaker?
No. Regular-season tiebreakers establish playoff entry and seeding. Once an NLDS begins, the series itself is settled on the field: the first club to win three games advances. MLB’s standings criteria do not break a tie in the series score.
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