In just 107 days, the Chicago Cubs will return to the field in front of fans at Sloan Park to kick off their 2026 spring training slate.
Major League Baseball on Wednesday released its full 2026 Spring Training schedule, which will look a little different this time around due to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) taking place from March 5 through March 17 with games in Houston, Miami, Tokyo and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Fourteen MLB teams will play exhibition games against teams competing in the WBC, including the Cubs, who will play Italy on March 3. Other MLB-WBC matchups include Canada vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, USA vs. the San Francisco Giants and Mexico vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cubs will be involved in a Cactus League-Grapefruit League crossover matchup when the New York Yankees visit from Florida to take on the Cubs in Arizona. The two-game series will be the Cubs’ final spring games before they open the 2026 regular season at Wrigley Field against the Washington Nationals on Thursday, March 26.
The Cubs will also play the Los Angeles Angels in that opening homestand before travelling to Cleveland and Tampa, Fla., to play the Guardians and the Rays in both teams’ home openers.
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You can view the Cubs’ full spring training schedule here. Below are the key dates and matchups to look out for in February and March:
Feb. 11: Pitchers and catchers reportFeb. 20: Cubs host White Sox at Sloan Park in spring training openerFeb. 28: Cubs play the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a split-squad matchupMarch 3: Cubs host Team Italy in WBC exhibitionMarch 21: Cubs prospects take on San Diego Padres prospects in the 2026 Spring BreakoutMarch 23 and 24: Cubs host Yankees in Cactus League-Grapefruit League crossover