The 2026 NPB season opened on Friday, March 27. Here are the five storylines we flagged — and, since this article has been updated after the regular season ended, how each of them actually turned out.
First published January 2026. Updated October 9, 2026, after the regular season finished.
1. Can SoftBank three-peat?
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks enter 2026 as reigning champions after beating Hanshin 4–1 in the 2025 Japan Series — their 12th title and first since 2020. With Hotaka Yamakawa, the 2025 Series MVP, leading a lineup that has now won seven of the last ten championships contested since 2011, the Hawks are the team to beat again.
2. The Tigers' pursuit
Hanshin won the 2025 Central League pennant and pushed the Hawks to five games. After the 38-year title drought ended in 2023, the Tigers' fanbase — Japan's largest — will expect a return to Koshien for the Japan Series. Watch how the rotation holds up over a full season.
3. Eagles' new era
Rakuten opens the season in a reimagined home: the newly renamed Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi ("Saikyo" means "strongest"), fresh off the acquisition of former Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda. A first title since 2013 would validate the project.
4. The Central League race
With no designated hitter, Central League pennant races often turn on starting pitching and late-inning managing. DeNA, the 2024 champions, and a resurgent Giants side will chase the Tigers from opening day.
5. The 143-game grind
Every team plays 143 games, with interleague play from late May to mid-June and the All-Star break in July. The Climax Series starts in October, and the Japan Series runs into early November — the 2026 season officially ends November 1.
In NPB, the pennant race is a marathon that ends with a sprint.
Full club-by-club breakdowns are in our team guide. Mark your calendar: opening day is March 27, 2026.
Update — October 9, 2026
The season has spoken. Hanshin took the Central League (79–62–2, clinched October 3 — a back-to-back pennant and a club first), and SoftBank took the Pacific League (91–49–3, clinched September 17 — a third straight pennant). Yomiuri and DeNA join the Tigers in the Central League playoff; Seibu and Nippon-Ham join the Hawks in the Pacific League playoff. The Climax Series opens October 10, and the SMBC Japan Series opens at Koshien on October 24. Full schedule: the postseason guide.