Upcoming Kansas City Royals 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.
Royals tickets: sit on the third-base side
The rule at Kauffman Stadium is simple: sit on the third-base side if sun is a concern. The ballpark faces northeast, and the sun sets behind third base, so that line goes into shade first while the first-base side and right field stay bright the longest. For a summer night game, most seats from home plate to the left-field pole are shaded by first pitch.
- Closest infield seats: the Dugout Box sections on the 100 level.
- Afternoon shade: plaza and loge seats on the third-base side.
- Value with cover: View level (400s) seats under the roof overhang.
- Family fun: outfield seats near the fountains and the kids' area.
The K, as locals call it, seats 37,903 according to Wikipedia, which keeps even the upper deck relatively close. It sits in the Truman Sports Complex off Interstate 70, next to Arrowhead Stadium.
From Dugout Box to the View level
Dugout Box (100 level)
The infield Dugout Box seats span sections 116 to 125 and 130 to 139. Per RateYourSeats, the Royals dugout sits in front of sections 136 to 139 and the visitors' dugout in front of 116 to 119. There is no overhang above this level, so a day game here means sun. Middle rows give you the best mix of closeness and a clean view over the dugout roof.
Plaza (200s) and loge
For an early-afternoon start, plaza sections on the third-base side, roughly 217 to 225, pick up shade by the middle innings. The loge level does even better on cover, particularly on the third-base side.
Club level
Above the loge, the club seats offer a higher, broadcast-style look at the field.
View level (400s)
The upper deck is the budget tier, but it does not feel remote in a park this size. Seats under the roof overhang, roughly sections 409 to 431, stay shaded, with the third-base side again the better choice.
Outfield
Outfield seats sit beside the fountains and near the Outfield Experience. You give up distance to the plate, and right-field seats bake during afternoon games, but the setting is relaxed and good for kids.
Kauffman seats that suffer on hot afternoons
- Low first-base-side rows in July or August: full sun, no overhang, for most of a day game.
- Right-field outfield seats: the longest sun exposure in the building.
- Corner seats near the foul poles: angled at the outfield instead of home plate.
- Dugout Box rows at a 1:10 p.m. start: great seats, but bring sunscreen and a hat.
On a night game, most of these problems vanish, and the first-base side becomes a reasonable choice again.
The Royals games Kansas City buys first
Spring training runs through February and March at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. The 162-game regular season starts in late March or early April and ends in late September; postseason play follows for qualifying clubs. In 2024 the Royals reached the playoffs for the first time since winning it all in 2015.
- Opening Day: a full-scale tailgate across the complex lots.
- St. Louis Cardinals: the I-70 rivalry fills the park with red from across Missouri.
- New York Yankees: the 1970s playoff history still sells, and Yankees fans travel.
- Summer weekends: Friday and Saturday games in June and July, especially fireworks nights.
- October: playoff games are the scarcest tickets of all.
Look to weeknights in April, May and September, against visitors from outside the division, for the easiest purchase.
Driving to the K: lots, tailgates and the clear-bag rule
No rail line serves the Truman Sports Complex, so most fans drive and park in the lots shared with the Kansas City Chiefs. Parking passes are digital in the MLB Ballpark app, and as of the 2026 season, buying online ahead of time costs less than paying at the gate.
Tailgating is a Royals tradition with ground rules. As of 2026, the team bans saving spaces, blocking roads and camping, asks guests to head inside or leave the complex beginning in the 2nd inning, and closes the lots an hour after the final out.
Entry rules as of the 2026 season, which you should confirm in the Kauffman Stadium guide before you go:
- Clear-bag policy: one clear bag no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches, or a one-gallon clear zip-seal bag, plus a clutch up to 9 by 5 inches.
- Food and water: food in a clear one-gallon bag and one sealed plastic water bottle of one liter or less.
- Gates: 90 minutes early Friday through Sunday and on giveaway days; one hour early on other weeknights.
- Re-entry: not permitted.
Inside, the Outfield Experience has the Little K wiffle-ball field, mini golf and a carousel, and the Royals Hall of Fame in left field holds the championship trophies. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by guaranteed entry.
Fountains, pine tar and two parades
Kansas City joined the American League as an expansion club in 1969, taking its name from the American Royal, the livestock show, rodeo and barbecue contest the city has hosted since 1899. The Royals played in the AL West until 1993 and moved to the AL Central in 1994. Retired numbers belong to George Brett (5), Frank White (20) and manager Dick Howser (10), along with Jackie Robinson's 42.
Kauffman Stadium opened on April 10, 1973, and took founder Ewing Kauffman's name in 1993. The Water Spectacular beyond right field stretches 322 feet and is billed as the largest privately funded fountain in the world. The crown-topped Crown Vision board went up in 2008 as the largest HD screen in the world at the time, and a renovation finished in 2009 added the 360-degree outfield concourse and the team Hall of Fame.
- 1976 to 1978: three division titles, each ended by the Yankees in the ALCS.
- 1980: a first pennant, then a World Series loss to Philadelphia.
- 1983: the Pine Tar Game in New York, when George Brett's home run was wiped out over the pine tar on his bat, then restored on appeal by AL President Lee MacPhail.
- 1985: Bret Saberhagen's 11 to 0 shutout in Game 7 beats St. Louis in the I-70 Series.
- 2012: the K hosts its second All-Star Game, after 1973.
- 2014: Salvador Pérez's walk-off single wins a 12-inning, 9 to 8 Wild Card Game over Oakland, ending a 28-year playoff drought.
- 2015: a 12-inning, 7 to 2 win in Game 5 clinches the title over the New York Mets.
A move is planned. Jackson County voters rejected a sales-tax extension for a new ballpark in April 2024, and on April 22, 2026, the Royals and Hallmark Cards announced a partnership to build a ballpark district at Crown Center near downtown. The Kauffman lease runs through the 2030 season, so the K remains home for now. Schedules and updates are on the Royals website.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I sit at Kauffman Stadium to avoid the sun?
On the third-base side, which shades first because the sun sets behind it. The loge level and View level seats under the overhang, roughly sections 409 to 431, also stay covered.
Which sections are behind the Royals dugout?
Per RateYourSeats, the Royals dugout sits in front of sections 136 to 139, and the visitors' dugout is in front of sections 116 to 119.
Is there public transit to Kauffman Stadium?
There is no rail line to the Truman Sports Complex, so most fans drive. As of 2026, parking bought online in advance through the MLB Ballpark app costs less than at the gate.
When do tailgaters have to go inside at Royals games?
As of 2026, guests must enter the game or leave the complex starting in the 2nd inning, and lots close one hour after the game.
How long will the Royals play at Kauffman Stadium?
The lease runs through the 2030 season. In April 2026 the team and Hallmark announced plans for a new ballpark district at Crown Center, so watch for timing updates.
When did the Royals win the World Series?
In 1985 against the St. Louis Cardinals and in 2015 against the New York Mets.