Updated October 23, 2026: The 2026 Japan Series opens Saturday, October 24, when the Yokohama DeNA BayStars host the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Yokohama Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Yokohama, Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+09:00), which is 9:30 a.m. UTC on October 24. NPB’s schedule still lists the game as upcoming, and the official BayStars page remains in pregame status. Starters and batting orders have not been posted on that game page as of this update.
| Item | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Yokohama DeNA BayStars vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
| Date | Saturday, October 24, 2026 |
| First pitch | 6:30 p.m. JST (UTC+09:00) / 9:30 a.m. UTC |
| Venue | Yokohama Stadium, Yokohama, Japan |
| Television listing | TBS |
| Internet coverage listed by NPB | U-NEXT and TVer |
| Starting pitchers and batting orders | Not posted on the official BayStars Game 1 page as of October 23 |
| Final score | Not available; the game is listed as pregame |
The organizer, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), lists Yokohama Stadium and an 18:30 start for Game 1 of the SMBC Japan Series 2026. The listed time is Japan Standard Time, which is UTC+09:00 on the event date; the corresponding UTC time is 09:30 on Saturday, October 24. The game remains on the same calendar date in both time zones. The official NPB Japan Series schedule and event information is the source to check for an official change.
NPB’s Yokohama schedule gives Game 1 its own arrival timetable. The Y Deck is scheduled to open at 4:00 p.m. JST, while entry to the stands and outfield is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. The opening ceremony is listed for 6:10 to 6:25 p.m., ahead of the 6:30 p.m. first pitch. These are the published times, not a guarantee that every gate will open at the exact minute: NPB says crowd conditions and weather can affect opening times, and a postponement can change the schedule. Fans attending should recheck the organizer’s notice before traveling.
For viewers outside Japan, use the named location and offset when converting the start: Yokohama, JST (UTC+09:00), October 24. Japan does not shift its clock for daylight saving time, so the offset shown for the event date is the relevant one. The UTC listing is useful for an international calendar, while the local Yokohama time is the reference for stadium entry, the ceremony and first pitch.
NPB lists TBS for television coverage of Game 1, with U-NEXT and TVer listed for internet coverage. The event schedule identifies those services but does not provide a country-by-country access guide. Check each provider’s live-program page, subscription or account requirements, and regional availability before game time. A listing on NPB’s schedule should not be taken as confirmation that a stream is available in every country.
The BayStars’ official Game 1 page is useful for the live status and, once posted, the game’s members and scoring information. NPB’s event page is the official source for the Series schedule and broadcaster list. If a service’s current program guide has different access details, rely on the provider for how to watch and on NPB for the competition schedule.
The BayStars’ official Game 1 page identifies SoftBank as the opponent, shows the game in pregame status and says starting-member details will be provided when available. It does not yet name either starter or publish the batting orders. NPB’s Series regulations call for announced starting pitchers in every game, but that rule does not itself confirm the Game 1 assignments. Until either club or the live page posts them, projected pitching matchups should be treated as unconfirmed.
NPB’s event information also distinguishes the Series eligibility list from a game-day lineup. Clubs had to submit a list of eligible managers, players and coaches by noon on October 22; NPB’s rules say the published list generally cannot be changed, subject to specified health-related exceptions. That eligibility pool is not the same as the nine players in a starting order, so it cannot be used to infer who will start on Saturday.
For player availability, an NPB preview published October 23 reports that Hawks pitcher Ryosuke Otsu had right elbow surgery shortly before the Series. The same preview says BayStars player J. Encarnacion will miss the Series with a right foot injury. These are roster updates reported in NPB’s preview; they do not identify the Game 1 starting pitchers or confirm either club’s batting order. The clubs’ final game-day announcements remain the source for the players actually starting. Read the NPB October 23 series outlook for its full pre-series context.
The matchup brings together two teams arriving by very different routes. NPB’s October 23 outlook describes SoftBank as the Pacific League champion and the 2025 Japan Series champion, returning after winning a third consecutive league title. Yokohama finished third in the Central League but swept both the first and final stages of the postseason to reach the championship series. NPB reported that DeNA had won eight straight games across its October regular-season and postseason play entering the Series. Those results describe each team’s recent path; they do not predict how Game 1 will unfold.
SoftBank’s recent scoring gives the first innings a clear point of interest. The NPB preview notes that the Hawks scored six runs in each of their three final-stage Climax Series games. It highlights Kensuke Kondo and Ryoya Kurihara as central hitters and reports that the pair combined for 226 RBIs during the regular season. For Yokohama, the same preview points to Shugo Maki, who hit .381 with four home runs during six postseason games, along with veteran hitters Keita Sano and Toshiro Miyazaki. Watch the confirmed batting orders to see how the managers position these players and whether they can create early traffic on the bases.
The bullpen decisions may become important if the starters hand over a close game. NPB’s preview describes relief depth on both clubs, but the actual pitcher availability and substitutions can only be judged from the final roster and game itself. No opening-game pitching duel should be presented as confirmed until the teams announce the starters.
The Japan Series is decided when one team reaches four wins. NPB’s rules say games through Game 7 can end in a tie after 12 innings; suspended games are not played. If the championship is still undecided after Game 7 because of ties, the published schedule provides for additional games. The schedule starts with Games 1 and 2 in Yokohama, moves to Fukuoka for Games 3 through 5, and returns to Yokohama for Games 6 and 7 if needed. The designated hitter rule applies at the Pacific League club’s home ballpark, so that provision is for SoftBank’s home games in Fukuoka, not this Yokohama opener.
Yokohama and SoftBank also met in the 2024 Japan Series, when DeNA won the championship four games to two. NPB’s current preview frames the 2026 matchup as a chance for the Hawks to respond and for the BayStars to repeat their previous upset. That history adds context, but Game 1 is only the opening result in a series that requires four wins.
No final score is available in this pregame update. The BayStars game page still lists Game 1 as pregame and shows no completed box score. It is not a 0-0 final; the score panel is simply awaiting play. Revisit the official game page and NPB’s Series schedule after first pitch for announced starters, any schedule changes, play-by-play and the final result.
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