Washington Nationals 2026 Season Schedule: Printable PDF Download
The Washington Nationals are back for another exciting season in 2026, and fans across the DMV area are already marking their calendars. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Nationals Park or you’re a season ticket holder mapping out the entire year, this complete schedule breakdown will help you catch every pitch, home run, and memorable moment. From Opening Day through the final homestand in September, the Nats have an action-packed season ahead with divisional rivalries, interleague matchups, and special event games that you won’t want to miss.
Washington Nationals 2026 Season Complete Schedule
March 2026: Season Kickoff on the Road
The Nationals begin their 2026 campaign away from home with a challenging early stretch. The season opens on March 26 with a road series against the Cubs, marking Chicago’s home opener at Wrigley Field. After three games in the Windy City, Washington heads to Philadelphia for a crucial early divisional series against the Phillies from March 30 through April 1.
March Highlight: Opening against the Cubs gives the Nationals a chance to set the tone early. These late-March games will test the pitching rotation’s readiness and show whether Washington’s offseason moves can translate into early wins.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 26 Thu | Cubs (Home Opener) | Away |
| Mar 28 Sat | Cubs | Away |
| Mar 29 Sun | Cubs | Away |
| Mar 30 Mon | Phillies | Away |
| Mar 31 Tue | Phillies | Away |
April 2026: Home Opener and Division Battles
April is when Nationals Park comes alive. The home opener on April 3 features a marquee matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a three-game series that promises to pack the stadium. Following the Dodgers, the Cardinals visit for another three-game set before the Nationals embark on a lengthy road trip.
The middle of April sees Washington travel to Milwaukee, then Pittsburgh for a four-game series that includes Jackie Robinson Day on April 15. The month closes with home series against the Giants and Braves, plus road trips to face the White Sox and Mets.
April Highlight: The home opener against the Dodgers on April 3 is must-see baseball. With Los Angeles bringing their star power to D.C., expect playoff-caliber intensity and a packed house. The four-game series with Atlanta from April 20-23 could also provide an early glimpse at the NL East standings.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1 Wed | Phillies | Away |
| Apr 3 Fri | Dodgers (Nationals Home Opener) | Home |
| Apr 4 Sat | Dodgers | Home |
| Apr 5 Sun | Dodgers | Home |
| Apr 6 Mon | Cardinals | Home |
| Apr 7 Tue | Cardinals | Home |
| Apr 8 Wed | Cardinals | Home |
| Apr 10 Fri | Brewers | Away |
| Apr 11 Sat | Brewers | Away |
| Apr 12 Sun | Brewers | Away |
| Apr 13 Mon | Pirates | Away |
| Apr 14 Tue | Pirates | Away |
| Apr 15 Wed | Pirates (Jackie Robinson Day) | Away |
| Apr 16 Thu | Pirates | Away |
| Apr 17 Fri | Giants | Home |
| Apr 18 Sat | Giants | Home |
| Apr 19 Sun | Giants | Home |
| Apr 20 Mon | Braves | Home |
| Apr 21 Tue | Braves | Home |
| Apr 22 Wed | Braves | Home |
| Apr 23 Thu | Braves | Home |
| Apr 24 Fri | White Sox | Away |
| Apr 25 Sat | White Sox | Away |
| Apr 26 Sun | White Sox | Away |
| Apr 28 Tue | Mets | Away |
| Apr 29 Wed | Mets | Away |
| Apr 30 Thu | Mets | Away |
May 2026: Interleague Action and Rivalry Weekend
May brings 31 games with several compelling storylines. The month starts with the Brewers visiting Washington, followed by an interleague series against the Twins. A crucial Beltway Series against the Orioles runs May 15-17, giving local fans the cross-town rivalry they crave.
The Nationals face the Mets for four games at home before traveling to Atlanta and Cleveland. May concludes with the Padres visiting Nationals Park for a Memorial Day weekend series.
May Highlight: The Beltway Series against Baltimore is always electric, but the four-game homestand against the Mets from May 18-21 could be pivotal for divisional positioning. With summer approaching, these are the games that separate contenders from pretenders.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| May 1 Fri | Brewers | Home |
| May 2 Sat | Brewers | Home |
| May 3 Sun | Brewers | Home |
| May 5 Tue | Twins | Home |
| May 6 Wed | Twins | Home |
| May 7 Thu | Twins | Home |
| May 8 Fri | Marlins | Away |
| May 9 Sat | Marlins | Away |
| May 10 Sun | Marlins | Away |
| May 12 Tue | Reds | Away |
| May 13 Wed | Reds | Away |
| May 14 Thu | Reds | Away |
| May 15 Fri | Orioles | Home |
| May 16 Sat | Orioles | Home |
| May 17 Sun | Orioles | Home |
| May 18 Mon | Mets | Home |
| May 19 Tue | Mets | Home |
| May 20 Wed | Mets | Home |
| May 21 Thu | Mets | Home |
| May 22 Fri | Braves | Away |
| May 23 Sat | Braves | Away |
| May 24 Sun | Braves | Away |
| May 25 Mon | Guardians | Away |
| May 26 Tue | Guardians | Away |
| May 27 Wed | Guardians | Away |
| May 29 Fri | Padres | Home |
| May 30 Sat | Padres | Home |
| May 31 Sun | Padres | Home |
June 2026: Summer Baseball Heats Up
June features 28 games with several unique matchups. The Marlins visit for Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, a special occasion honoring the Iron Horse’s legacy. The Nationals then travel west to face the D-backs and Giants before returning home for series against the Mariners and Royals.
A huge four-game series against the Phillies from June 22-25 highlights the month’s final week, followed by crucial Beltway matchups in Baltimore and a series in Boston to close out June.
June Highlight: The four-game set with Philadelphia starting June 22 is a potential season-defining series. These late-June divisional games often determine whether teams are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. The Orioles series June 26-28 also carries significant weight for regional bragging rights.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1 Mon | Marlins | Home |
| Jun 2 Tue | Marlins (Lou Gehrig Day) | Home |
| Jun 3 Wed | Marlins | Home |
| Jun 5 Fri | D-backs | Away |
| Jun 6 Sat | D-backs | Away |
| Jun 7 Sun | D-backs | Away |
| Jun 8 Mon | Giants | Away |
| Jun 9 Tue | Giants | Away |
| Jun 10 Wed | Giants | Away |
| Jun 12 Fri | Mariners | Home |
| Jun 13 Sat | Mariners | Home |
| Jun 14 Sun | Mariners | Home |
| Jun 15 Mon | Royals | Home |
| Jun 16 Tue | Royals | Home |
| Jun 17 Wed | Royals | Home |
| Jun 19 Fri | Rays | Away |
| Jun 20 Sat | Rays | Away |
| Jun 21 Sun | Rays | Away |
| Jun 22 Mon | Phillies | Home |
| Jun 23 Tue | Phillies | Home |
| Jun 24 Wed | Phillies | Home |
| Jun 25 Thu | Phillies | Home |
| Jun 26 Fri | Orioles | Away |
| Jun 27 Sat | Orioles | Away |
| Jun 28 Sun | Orioles | Away |
| Jun 29 Mon | Red Sox | Away |
| Jun 30 Tue | Red Sox | Away |
July 2026: All-Star Break and Second-Half Surge
July brings the midsummer classic and a chance to reset. The Nationals host the Pirates over Independence Day weekend, followed by home series against the Astros and Yankees. The 96th All-Star Game takes place July 14 in Philadelphia, giving fans in the region easy access to baseball’s best.
After the break, Washington travels to Oakland and Colorado before returning home for series against the D-backs and Blue Jays. The month ends with a critical four-game series in Atlanta.
July Highlight: Hosting the Yankees July 10-12 is arguably the most anticipated series of the season. New York always brings energy and massive crowds to Nationals Park. The All-Star Game in nearby Philly also makes mid-July special for the entire region.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 1 Wed | Red Sox | Away |
| Jul 3 Fri | Pirates | Home |
| Jul 4 Sat | Pirates | Home |
| Jul 5 Sun | Pirates | Home |
| Jul 6 Mon | Astros | Home |
| Jul 7 Tue | Astros | Home |
| Jul 8 Wed | Astros | Home |
| Jul 10 Fri | Yankees | Home |
| Jul 11 Sat | Yankees | Home |
| Jul 12 Sun | Yankees | Home |
| Jul 14 Tue | 96th All-Star Game (Philadelphia, PA) | Neutral |
| Jul 17 Fri | Athletics | Away |
| Jul 18 Sat | Athletics | Away |
| Jul 19 Sun | Athletics | Away |
| Jul 20 Mon | Rockies | Away |
| Jul 21 Tue | Rockies | Away |
| Jul 22 Wed | Rockies | Away |
| Jul 24 Fri | D-backs | Home |
| Jul 25 Sat | D-backs | Home |
| Jul 26 Sun | D-backs | Home |
| Jul 27 Mon | Blue Jays | Home |
| Jul 28 Tue | Blue Jays | Home |
| Jul 29 Wed | Blue Jays | Home |
| Jul 30 Thu | Braves | Away |
| Jul 31 Fri | Braves | Away |
August 2026: Playoff Push Begins
August is where playoff dreams are made or broken. The Nationals start the month finishing their Atlanta series, then face a crucial four-game set in Philadelphia. After home series against the Reds and Cubs, Washington travels to face the Mets, Rangers, and Marlins.
August features a big 10-game homestand from Aug. 24–Sept. 2. That stretch begins with a four-game series vs. the Colorado Rockies (Aug. 24–27), is followed by a four-game series vs. the Miami Marlins (Aug. 28–31), and closes with a two-game set vs. the Atlanta Braves (Sept. 1–2).
August Highlight: The four games in Philadelphia from August 3-6 will likely have massive playoff implications. August is also when you’ll see roster moves, call-ups, and teams showing their true colors. The five-game Miami series to end the month (August 28-31, with an additional game September 1) could be crucial.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 1 Sat | Braves | Away |
| Aug 2 Sun | Braves | Away |
| Aug 3 Mon | Phillies | Away |
| Aug 4 Tue | Phillies | Away |
| Aug 5 Wed | Phillies | Away |
| Aug 6 Thu | Phillies | Away |
| Aug 7 Fri | Reds | Home |
| Aug 8 Sat | Reds | Home |
| Aug 9 Sun | Reds | Home |
| Aug 11 Tue | Cubs | Home |
| Aug 12 Wed | Cubs | Home |
| Aug 13 Thu | Cubs | Home |
| Aug 14 Fri | Mets | Away |
| Aug 15 Sat | Mets | Away |
| Aug 16 Sun | Mets | Away |
| Aug 18 Tue | Rangers | Away |
| Aug 19 Wed | Rangers | Away |
| Aug 20 Thu | Rangers | Away |
| Aug 21 Fri | Marlins | Away |
| Aug 22 Sat | Marlins | Away |
| Aug 23 Sun | Marlins | Away |
| Aug 24 Mon | Rockies | Home |
| Aug 25 Tue | Rockies | Home |
| Aug 26 Wed | Rockies | Home |
| Aug 27 Thu | Rockies | Home |
| Aug 28 Fri | Marlins | Home |
| Aug 29 Sat | Marlins | Home |
| Aug 30 Sun | Marlins | Home |
| Aug 31 Mon | Marlins | Home |
September 2026: The Final Stretch
September determines everything. The Nationals open with games against Atlanta before heading west to face the Dodgers and Padres. A homestand against the Angels provides a breather before Roberto Clemente Day on September 15 against Philadelphia.
Critical road series in St. Louis and Detroit precede the season-ending homestand against the Mets from September 25-27. These final games could decide playoff fates.
September Highlight: The final series against the Mets September 25-27 could be winner-take-all for the division or wild card positioning. If you’re downloading a schedule to plan ahead, circle these dates—tickets will be scarce if the Nationals are in contention.
| Date | VS. | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 Tue | Braves | Home |
| Sep 2 Wed | Braves | Home |
| Sep 4 Fri | Dodgers | Away |
| Sep 5 Sat | Dodgers | Away |
| Sep 6 Sun | Dodgers | Away |
| Sep 7 Mon | Padres | Away |
| Sep 8 Tue | Padres | Away |
| Sep 9 Wed | Padres | Away |
| Sep 11 Fri | Angels | Home |
| Sep 12 Sat | Angels | Home |
| Sep 13 Sun | Angels | Home |
| Sep 15 Tue | Phillies (Roberto Clemente Day) | Home |
| Sep 16 Wed | Phillies | Home |
| Sep 18 Fri | Cardinals | Away |
| Sep 19 Sat | Cardinals | Away |
| Sep 20 Sun | Cardinals | Away |
| Sep 21 Mon | Tigers | Away |
| Sep 22 Tue | Tigers | Away |
| Sep 23 Wed | Tigers | Away |
| Sep 25 Fri | Mets | Home |
| Sep 26 Sat | Mets | Home |
| Sep 27 Sun | Mets | Home |
Key Takeaways for Planning Your 2026 Season
The 2026 schedule offers numerous opportunities for memorable baseball moments. Early-season tests against the Dodgers and Cardinals will show what this team is made of, while the Beltway Series and NL East rivalries provide constant drama. Key interleague matchups against the Astros, Yankees, and Twins add variety.
For fans seeking a printable schedule to post on the fridge or office wall, the compact format makes it easy to track home and away games. The schedule PDF download is perfect for planning group outings, family vacations around baseball, or ensuring you don’t miss crucial divisional showdowns.
Special dates to remember include the April 3 home opener, Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, Independence Day weekend, the All-Star break, Roberto Clemente Day on September 15, and the season-ending Mets series.
Read more: Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Season Schedule: Printable PDF Download
Conclusion
The Washington Nationals 2026 schedule delivers exactly what fans want: compelling matchups, divisional drama, and plenty of home games at one of baseball’s best venues. Whether the Nationals surprise everyone with a playoff run or focus on building for the future, this schedule provides ample opportunity to enjoy America’s pastime in the nation’s capital.
From March’s cold-weather starts to September’s pennant race pressure, every game matters. Download the schedule, mark your must-see series, and get ready for another memorable season of Nationals baseball. With improved talent, home-field advantage for key series, and a schedule that sets up nicely for a second-half surge, 2026 could be special in Washington. See you at the ballpark.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Washington Nationals 2026 home opener?
The Nationals home opener is Friday, April 3, 2026, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marquee matchup brings one of baseball’s premier franchises to Nationals Park to kick off the home schedule in style.
How many home games do the Nationals have in 2026?
Based on the complete schedule, the Nationals play approximately 81 home games throughout the 2026 season, matching the standard MLB format. These games are spread across all months from April through September.
When do the Nationals play the Orioles in 2026?
The Beltway Series features two separate series in 2026. The Nationals host Baltimore May 15-17 at Nationals Park, then travel to Camden Yards for games June 26-28. These cross-town rivalry matchups are always fan favorites.
What special event games are on the 2026 Nationals schedule?
The schedule includes several special days: Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 (at Pittsburgh), Lou Gehrig Day on June 2 (hosting Miami), Independence Day weekend games July 3-5, and Roberto Clemente Day on September 15 (hosting Philadelphia). The All-Star Game takes place July 14 in Philadelphia.
Where can I download a printable 2026 Nationals schedule?
While official printable PDF schedules are typically available through the Washington Nationals official website and MLB.com, the table format in this guide provides all dates and matchups for easy reference. You can save or print this page for your personal planning needs throughout the season.
