Philadelphia is set to host both a major baseball celebration and a commemoration of 250 years of American independence this summer, as the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game returns to the city often called the birthplace of the United States.
MLB and the Phillies have laid out the complete itinerary for the league’s All-Star Week, scheduled from July 10 through July 14. This marks the first time the 96th Midsummer Classic has been held in Philadelphia since 1996, and the city previously welcomed the event in 1976 at Veterans Stadium during the nation’s bicentennial celebrations.
According to Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB’s senior vice president, the 2026 All-Star Game holds “added significance, bringing one of America’s most iconic pastimes to the city where the country’s story began.” In a statement from April, he described the occasion as transcending a typical high-profile sports contest, framing it instead as “a celebration of tradition, unity, and shared experience.” He added that with Philadelphia serving as a host to the world throughout the year, All-Star Week offers a distinctly American viewpoint within that international context, one anchored in heritage, community, and the game’s lasting vitality.
Here is what fans can expect in and around Philadelphia this July as part of the All-Star Game festivities.
HBCU Swingman Classic at Citizens Bank Park
The baseball portion of the week kicks off on Friday, July 10, with the fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic at Citizens Bank Park. The event brings together 50 Division I players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, giving them a national platform to demonstrate their abilities while honoring the legacy of HBCU baseball programs.
As detailed in a press release, the game will be broadcast on MLB Network and will incorporate distinctive presentation elements, including music, entertainment, and ceremonies inspired by Historically Black Colleges and Universities nationwide. Tickets for the 2026 HBCU Swingman Classic are currently available for purchase. Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., once dubbed “the coolest there ever was” by GQ, originally launched the classic in 2023.
Youth baseball and softball tournaments at FDR Park
All-Star Week also features youth baseball tournaments at FDR Park over the weekend of July 10–13, with championship games taking place at the University of Pennsylvania on July 13. The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup and Jennie Finch Classic commence on July 10 at the Philadelphia Phillies Urban Youth Academy, and Penn’s Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium will serve as the venue for the July 13 title games. These tournaments include baseball and softball players aged 17 and under from MLB youth academies, Puerto Rico, and Jennie Finch softball programs.
Capital One All-Star Village at the Convention Center
From Saturday, July 11, through Tuesday, July 14, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will host a four-day fan festival that MLB and the Phillies describe as a “uniquely one-of-a-kind baseball theme park for fans of all ages.” According to MLB’s website, the Capital One All-Star Village will offer interactive games and contests, video gaming experiences, prizes, player meet-and-greets, and samples of local ballpark favorites—all indoors. Additional details about the fan festival are expected to be announced later.
2026 MLB draft
Philadelphia will also welcome the 2026 MLB draft this July, held in the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The draft is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, in a space adjacent to the All-Star Village, which opens the same day. This will be the sixth year that the draft has been part of All-Star Week programming.
All-Star Futures Game and MLBx
On Sunday, July 12, as MLB wraps up its final pre-break games, Citizens Bank Park will stage a doubleheader consisting of a prospects showcase followed by a new 3-on-3 competition. All-Star Sunday opens with the All-Star Futures Game, a seven-inning contest featuring the sport’s top prospects, with Minor League Baseball’s “best promotions, mascots, and entertainment filling the atmosphere,” according to MLB. The league is also introducing a revamped MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 game this summer, a competition that includes former All-Stars and softball standouts, with two semifinal rounds and a final, each lasting 30 minutes.
Home Run Derby
On Monday, July 13, Citizens Bank Park will host the fan-favorite Home Run Derby at 8 p.m., and this year’s event has been moved to Netflix. Philadelphia last held the Home Run Derby in 1996, when Barry Bonds hit 17 homers at Veterans Stadium. The most recent Phillie to win the derby was Ryan Howard, who slugged 23 in Pittsburgh in 2006, a year after his teammate Bobby Abreu took the title with 41 in Detroit.
MLB All-Star Game and Red Carpet show
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, with a national broadcast on Fox. Prior to the game, Philadelphia will host the All-Star Red Carpet Show at a venue yet to be announced, according to MLB. The red carpet event gives All-Stars an opportunity to “showcase their personal style and greet the worldwide media,” and it will be aired on MLB Network.
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