The Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays will meet in the 2026 World Series with both teams seeking their first championship, having last faced each other in the opening week of the season.
Milwaukee swept the Los Angeles Dodgers to reach their first World Series since 1982, while Tampa Bay eliminated the Cleveland Guardians to return for the first time since 2020.
The Brewers lost their only previous appearance to the St Louis Cardinals, while the Rays finished runners-up to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and the Dodgers in 2020.
The series opens at American Family Field on October 23, returning the teams to the venue where Milwaukee won two of their three regular-season meetings earlier in the season.
The Brewers outscored Tampa Bay 16-7 across those games, recovering from a narrow first-game defeat to win the next two.
The Rays took the opener 3-2 on March 30, overturning a late deficit after William Contreras’ two-run homer had put Milwaukee ahead.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the ninth inning, with Nick Fortes delivering the go-ahead double.
Milwaukee responded with a 6-2 victory the following day, helped by home runs from Gary Sanchez and Jake Bauers to set up a deciding game.
The Brewers won that finale 8-2, although the contest was closer than the score suggested.
Brice Turang’s two-run homer brought Milwaukee level, and the teams remained tied until the eighth inning, when the Brewers scored six runs.
Christian Yelich supplied the go-ahead two-run single, while Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero committed three errors during the game.
That secured the season series for Milwaukee, but the teams have not met since April 1.
The Brewers also hold a narrow advantage across their entire history, winning 15 of their 28 meetings since the first in 2005.
Home advantage has featured in those results as Milwaukee have won seven of 11 meetings at home, while Tampa Bay have taken nine of 17 on their own ground.
The teams have alternated 2-1 series victories over the past four seasons, with Tampa Bay prevailing in 2023 and 2025 and Milwaukee winning in 2024 and 2026.
Their World Series clash will be their first postseason meeting.
Fans can watch the World Series live on SPOTV NOW.
View this post on Instagram
