Major League Baseball has committed to playing regular season games in London in 2023, 2024, and 2026, the league announced Monday. The Yankees and Red Sox played two games in London in 2019. They were the first ever MLB games played in Europe. The Cubs and Cardinals were set to play in London in 2020, though the series was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"London did such a phenomenal job hosting our players the last time around that the players and their union were more than happy to agree to a multiyear commitment (to return)," commissioner Rob Manfred told the Sports Business Journal on Monday. "We were really heartened by the level of activity that we saw when we were in London. (Regarding) our intent of growing the game in Europe, the activity we saw was really important to us."
The city of London & @MLB have formed a long-term strategic partnership that includes MLB playing regular season games in London in ’23, ’24 & ’26. MLB Europe will also conduct fan events, expanded UK-focused content, baseball participation programs, and more. pic.twitter.com/vcMuTBWp8P
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) May 9, 2022
The Dodgers are in talks to play games in Paris in 2025. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement MLB and the MLBPA agreed to play more games internationally. In addition to London and Paris, MLB is also planning to play games in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Paris and the Dominican Republic would be new destinations.
In addition to playing regular season games in London, MLB Europe will continue working to promote the game internationally with fan events, UK-focused content, youth programs, and more.
