The MLB World Tour is coming to four international destinations in 2024: London, Mexico City, Seoul and Santo Domingo.
The Seoul Series will mark the start of the 2024 MLB regular season — and the first MLB regular-season games ever played in Korea.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association announced full plans for the four series on Wednesday.
• Seoul series: Dodgers vs Padres 20-21 March (MLB season opener)
• Mexico City Series: Astros vs. Rockies, Aug. 27-28 April
• London Series: Mets vs. Phillies, Aug. 8-9 June
• Series Dominican Republic: Red Sox vs Rays, 9th-10th March (spring training)
“Major League Baseball is incredibly excited for this extensive slate of international games in 2024,” said Commissioner Rob Manfred. “Our recent efforts have generated great excitement around the world and we look forward to building on that foundation with returns to Mexico City and London, while also opening the season for the first time in Korea. Beyond that, we can’t wait.” Celebrate the tradition of sport in the Dominican Republic with our visit to Santo Domingo next March. We are excited that our fans in four different countries outside of the US and Canada will have the opportunity to see the stars of the game.”
Next year’s MLB World Tour schedule includes the return of games to the United Kingdom and Mexico for the second straight year, following the 2023 London Series between the Cubs and Cardinals and the Mexico City Series between the Giants and Padres, in addition to new stops in Korea and the Dominican Republic.
“Players have a vested interest in seeing baseball grow around the world. No matter where they come from, players share a passion for our game that transcends languages, cultures and nationalities,” said Tony Clark, executive director of the MLB Players Association. “The series announced today will allow fans around the world to appreciate first-hand the players’ unmatched skills and infectious enthusiasm every time they get to work. We’re excited to expand our international presence in new communities and celebrate the game we all love.”
Here’s a look at each of the four international series in 2024.
The Dodgers and Padres will open the 2024 season with two games in Korea on March 20-21.
The Seoul Series marks the ninth time the MLB season has opened outside of the U.S. 50 states and Canada, and the first in five years. Previous international openings include:
• 1999 – Monterrey, Mexico (Rockies vs. Padres)
• 2000 – Tokyo, Japan (Mets vs. Cubs)
• 2001 – San Juan, Puerto Rico (Rangers vs. Blue Jays)
• 2004 – Tokyo, Japan (Rays vs. Yankees)
• 2008 – Tokyo, Japan (Red Sox vs. A’s)
• 2012 – Tokyo, Japan (A’s vs. Mariners)
• 2014 – Sydney, Australia (Dodgers vs. D-backs)
• 2019 – Tokyo, Japan (A’s vs. Mariners)
It will be the Dodgers’ first international games since they played the Padres in Mexico in 2018 and their second opening day abroad after the 2014 season opener in Australia.
“The Dodgers have a long and proud history of helping grow the game overseas, which is underscored by our trips to Mexico, China and Australia. It’s very exciting to put Korea on the list,” said Stan Kasten, Dodgers president. “I know our players are excited to showcase their talents in a country so rich in baseball heritage and talent, including former Dodgers Chan Ho Park, Hee-Seop Choi and Hyun Jin Ryu.”
The Padres will play internationally for the second year in a row, albeit in a new country, from the 2023 Mexico City Series to the 2024 Seoul Series. Like the Dodgers, they also played overseas on opening day, in the first international season opener in 1999 .
“Korea is a great baseball country with a rich heritage, passionate fans and talented players, including current Padre and San Diego fan favorite Ha-Seong Kim,” said Padres CEO Erik Greupner. “The Padres are proud to serve as global ambassadors for the game of baseball with our historic 2024 Korea Series alongside the Dodgers.”
The second Mexico City Series will see the Astros and Rockies play two games on April 27 and 28, almost exactly a year after this season’s first Mexico City Series.
Both Houston and Colorado recently played internationally in Mexico, but in Monterrey, not Mexico City. The Astros played two regular season games there in 2019 against the Angels, and the Rockies played a show series against the D-Backs that same year.
The Astros have already played friendlies in Mexico City, in 2016 against the Padres and in 2004 against the Marlins.
The Mets will play overseas for the first time since 2010 when they faced the Marlins in Puerto Rico. But they are no strangers to international games, having played in both MLB’s first international regular-season games in Mexico in 1996 and MLB’s first regular-season games in Japan in 2000.
“Interest in baseball is growing around the world and it’s a great honor to bring the Mets ‘never say die’ attitude to sports fans in London,” said Mets owner Steve Cohen. “Our Queens family is ready to bring London a great time with exciting baseball and great experiences that attract new fans and strengthen the Mets community across the UK.”
The Phillies have never played international regular-season games, leaving the United States and Canada only once, over 50 years ago, for two friendlies against the Pirates in San Juan in 1977.
“Major League Baseball has done a tremendous job of expanding its international presence, and we are honored to play a part in that with the 2024 London Series,” said John Middleton, Phillies managing partner. “This will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talents of our players and highlight the excitement that a Phillies-Mets match brings to our fans in the UK and to those who have never attended a baseball game.”
Dominican Republic series
In addition to the three international regular-season series scheduled for 2024, the Red Sox and Rays will play a spring training series in Santo Domingo at the Estadio Quisqueya on March 9-10.
“This unique opportunity builds on our long-standing association with the Dominican Republic and allows us to celebrate the remarkable talent and rich cultural heritage of a country whose passion for the game has clearly shaped our organization,” said Sam Kennedy, President of the Red sox “From the players who have graduated through our Dominican Republic academy to those who have helped us win championships, we have been fortunate to witness the profound impact Dominican players have on our game and we are passionate about baseball to be able to bring the Red Sox closer.” Such a lively baseball community in the next year.
Exhibition games are also an important part of the MLB World Tour, which includes up to 16 international-level exhibition games between 2023 and 2026, as well as up to 24 regular-season games in Asia, Europe and Latin America.