Major League Baseball is set to return to the Hawkeye State next season. According to a report from The Athletic, citing multiple league sources, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins are expected to clash in Dyersville, Iowa, during the MLB at Field of Dreams game in August 2026. The interleague matchup features the revival of one of MLB’s most cinematic events after a four-year hiatus.
Named after the three-time Oscar-nominated film, Field of Dreams, the two previous editions of the game (2021, 2022) were praised for their cinematic flair and nostalgic atmosphere set near the iconic cornfields from the Kevin Costner film.
Due to upgrades at the Field of Dreams venue, the MLB has taken its spectacle games elsewhere over the last few years. In 2024, the league took The Show to Birmingham, Alabama, for MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro League, and earlier this season, Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the inaugural MLB Speedway Classic. Notably, 91,032 fans were in attendance for the speedway game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds, setting the MLB’s all-time regular season game record.
Now with the upgrades complete, the MLB returns to the cornfields in what may become an annual traditional game. Sticking to its Midwestern roots that saw each Chicago team host the first two games, the Twins are hosting the Phillies during the third edition of the cinematic contest.
With the MLB in talks to overhaul its media rights through 2028, the Field of Dreams game could have a new home next season. FOX, which recently launched its FOX One direct-to-consumer app, aired the first two games in the Tall Corn State. FOX’s current deal with MLB runs through the 2028 season, but ESPN, Netflix, and Peacock are expected to be bidders in the league’s next three-year stopgap deal.
For those keeping score: ESPN has shown interest in the MLB’s out-of-market rights, and has a reported framework of a deal to acquire in-market rights for five teams; Peacock is looking to snag Friday Night Baseball from Apple TV and Sunday Night Baseball after ESPN opted out of a $550 million deal; and the Home Run Derby is expected find its streaming home on Netflix.
If the Field of Dreams game doesn’t stay on the FOX broadcast network or become a FOX One exclusive, the other bidders have a chance to gain a marquee promotional asset that attracts more viewers than a usual single-game audience.
As the 2025 season winds down, fans can already get excited for all the home runs and at-bats of next year when the 2026 MLB schedule is released on Tuesday, August 26. Get ready to plan your baseball trips and your streaming budgets to watch the Field of Dreams game and the best baseball players in the world across your favorite devices.
Credit: The Athletic