Upcoming Chicago Cubs dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Your Wrigley seat, decided in three questions
The best Chicago Cubs seat for most buyers is on the third-base side of Wrigley Field, in the lower level, behind or near the Cubs dugout. That side gets shade first on a sunny afternoon, it faces the home team's bench, and it keeps you close to the infield. Answer three questions and the rest of the decision follows.
- Do you want to see the Cubs up close? Their dugout is on the third-base side, in front of club box sections 8 through 12, according to seating guides.
- Is it a day game in summer? Pick higher rows on the third-base side, or a covered terrace seat, and skip right field and the bleachers.
- Do you care more about the scene than the view? Buy the bleachers, arrive early and accept a backless bench in full sun.
Wrigley holds about 41,649 and sits at 1060 West Addison Street on the North Side. It is small, old and open to the weather, so small seat choices carry more weight here than in a newer park.
Four zones at Wrigley and what each delivers
Field box (the lower rows nearest the grass)
This is where the premium infield seats live. Club box home plate sections 13 through 22 sit between the dugouts, while club box infield sections 8 to 12 and 23 to 27 flank them; the visitors are on the first-base side. A renovation moved both dugouts farther down the foul lines in 2017 and 2018, which changed which sections sit directly behind them.
Terrace (the 200-level rows under the upper deck)
The terrace gives you a roof over your head and a reasonable price. The cost is visibility: steel columns support the deck above, and guides report poles near row 6 in many sections and at the ends of others. Rows roughly 10 to 15, away from the section ends, are the safer target. Look at a seat-view photo before you commit.
Upper deck (400 and 500 sections)
The upper reserved rows are shallow, about nine rows deep, so even the back row is not far from the rail. You get a full view of the field and of the rooftop seating across Waveland and Sheffield avenues. Some front-row seats at the section ends have a pole in the way.
Bleachers (general admission beyond the outfield wall)
A bleacher ticket buys entry to an area, not a specific seat. Spots go to whoever arrives first, the benches are metal and backless, and the crowd is the loudest in the park. The team sets aside part of the bleachers for fans who want a calmer experience.
Sun, wind and the North Side weather factor
Because the sun sets over the third-base side, that half of the park shades earliest during afternoon games. One section guide notes that in section 10, behind the Cubs dugout, rows 7 and higher stay shaded for most late-afternoon starts while the first few rows do not. The right-field lower level and most of the bleachers bake in direct sun.
Wind is the other variable. Wrigley's dimensions are compact, 355 feet down the left-field line, 400 to center and 353 to right, and the park is open on all sides. Check the flags when you arrive: the day's breeze can turn a pitchers' duel into a slugfest, or the reverse. On a cool April night, shaded seats on the third-base side and covered terrace seats feel colder than the sunny side, so pack a layer.
Wrigley seats to think twice about
- Front terrace rows and end seats: the most likely spots for a column in your sightline.
- Right-field lower level on a July afternoon: direct sun with little relief.
- Bleachers if you arrive late: you may end up far from the wall or split from your group, since spots are not assigned.
- Upper-deck front rows at section ends: poles can sit right at the rail.
If a terrace seat costs far less than the seats around it, assume a partial view until a photo proves otherwise.
Which Cubs home games are hardest to get
Spring training runs through February and March at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, which opened in 2014 and seats about 15,000, the largest spring facility in the majors. The regular season begins in late March or early April and wraps up in late September, with October baseball when the club qualifies.
- Opening Day and the first homestand: high demand, whatever the forecast.
- St. Louis Cardinals series: Cardinals fans travel in force and fill the bleachers early.
- Milwaukee Brewers series: the division rival sits a short drive north, and its fans make the trip.
- Chicago White Sox at Wrigley: the crosstown series, in the years it lands on the North Side.
- Saturday afternoons, June through August: the peak of the regular-season calendar.
Weeknight games in April and September against teams outside the division are the usual value dates, and resale prices for those often drift lower in the last few days. Rivalry dates and summer weekends tend to hold their price or climb.
Addison, the Red Line and Wrigley entry rules
The CTA Red Line's Addison station lets out beside the ballpark, and it is the quickest way in. The surrounding neighborhood is dense and residential with very little parking. The team runs free remote parking with a shuttle for night and weekend games; confirm the current details before you go.
As of the 2026 season, the Cubs ballpark guide lists these rules (check the current version before your game):
- Mobile tickets only, scanned in the MLB Ballpark app; screenshots are refused.
- No bags over 16 by 16 by 8 inches, backpacks included, with medical and diaper bags exempt.
- Gates open about 90 minutes early, and two hours early on Opening Day and Saturdays.
- Cashless concessions, with cash-to-card kiosks on site.
- No smoking anywhere on the campus, including Gallagher Way, the plaza beside the park.
Wrigley has no parking-lot tailgate scene. Pregame happens in the bars along Clark and Addison and on Gallagher Way. Holding a bleacher ticket? Line up well before the gates open. Cubs fans also travel well, especially to Milwaukee and St. Louis, and Sloan Park's size makes Mesa an easier spring ticket than most Cactus League parks. Every Reserved Seat order, home or road, comes with a 100% guarantee.
From the White Stockings to 2016: Cubs background
The franchise dates to 1870 and played as the White Stockings, Colts and Orphans before settling on Cubs in 1903. It has been in the NL Central since 1994. Its three World Series titles came in 1907, 1908 and 2016; the first two made it the first club to win back-to-back championships, and the third ended a 108-year wait, followed by a parade crowd estimated at about 5 million. Add 17 National League pennants. Retired numbers are 10, 14, 23, 26 and 31, along with Jackie Robinson's 42.
The ballpark opened on April 23, 1914, as Weeghman Park, was renamed Cubs Park in 1920 and became Wrigley Field in 1927. The Cubs arrived in 1916.
- 1937: the Boston ivy on the outfield walls and the hand-operated center-field scoreboard both appear.
- August 9, 1988: the first official night game, against the New York Mets, after Wrigley became the last major league park to install lights.
- 2014 to 2019: the privately funded 1060 Project rebuilds the infrastructure, expands the bleachers and adds video boards and premium clubs.
- September 23, 2020: Wrigley is named a National Historic Landmark.
- 2025: the Cubs return to the postseason for the first time since 2020, beat the Padres in the Wild Card Series and fall to the Brewers in the Division Series.
Schedules and team news are on the Cubs website, and current entry rules are in the Wrigley Field ballpark guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best side of Wrigley Field to sit on?
The third-base side suits most fans. It faces the Cubs dugout and gets shade first during afternoon games because the sun sets over that side.
How do I avoid a pole in the Wrigley terrace?
Aim for middle rows, roughly 10 to 15, and seats away from the ends of a section. Guides report columns near row 6 in many terrace sections.
When should I get to Wrigley with a bleacher ticket?
Well before the gates open. Bleacher seating is first come, first served, and gates typically open 90 minutes before first pitch, or two hours early on Saturdays and Opening Day.
Is the Wrigley Field upper deck a good seat?
It can be. The upper reserved area is only about nine rows deep and shows the whole field and the rooftops, though some front-row end seats have a pole.
Does Wrigley Field accept printed or screenshot tickets?
As of the 2026 season, no. Tickets are mobile only and must be scanned from the MLB Ballpark app.
Where do the Cubs hold spring training?
At Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, which opened in 2014 and seats about 15,000, the largest spring training park in the majors.