2026 Congressional Baseball Game Set for Wednesday, June 10 at Nationals Park
The 2026 Congressional Baseball Game for Charity returns to Nationals Park on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM ET. The annual bipartisan showdown — the longest-running tradition in Washington baseball, played every year since 1909 with only one exception — will once again feature members of the U.S. House and Senate trading their suits for jerseys.
The Republicans enter the game riding a five-game winning streak, after defeating the Democrats 13–2 in the 2025 game in front of a record paid attendance of more than 31,000 fans. The 2025 contest raised over $2.8 million for Washington-area charities — another game record — with proceeds benefiting Congressional Sports for Charity, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Washington Nationals Philanthropies, and the United States Capitol Police Memorial Fund.
Republican manager Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, holds the trophy after the GOP beat the Democrats 16-6 in the Annual Congressional Baseball Game at National Park in Washington on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The Basics
- Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
- First pitch: 7:05 PM ET
- Venue: Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Charity: Congressional Sports for Charity Foundation
- All-time record: Republicans lead 46–42
- Streak: Republicans have won 5 consecutive games (2021–2025)
How to Get Tickets
Tickets for the 2026 Congressional Baseball Game are available exclusively through the official Washington Nationals tickets page, with face-value tickets starting around $12 — among the most affordable nights of baseball at Nationals Park all summer, and one of the most overlooked deals in D.C. sports. A few key things to know before you buy:
- Tickets are 100% digital — access is only through the MLB Ballpark App. Download the app before game day.
- No box office sales — physical tickets are not available at Nationals Park, and the Nationals box office cannot sell tickets to this event by phone.
- Bag policy applies: Review the Nationals Park bag policy before heading to the stadium — it’s strictly enforced.
How to Watch
The 2026 Congressional Baseball Game is expected to be carried live on C-SPAN and Fox News, as it has been in recent years. Network confirmation typically comes the week of the game; check local broadcast listings as June 10 approaches.
The Five-Year Streak
The Republican Party’s current winning streak began with a tight 13–12 victory in 2021 when the game returned after the COVID-19 hiatus — the only year since the modern era began that the game was not played. Since then, the GOP has dominated:
- 2025: Republicans 13, Democrats 2
- 2024: Republicans 31, Democrats 11
- 2023: Republicans 16, Democrats 6
- 2022: Republicans 10, Democrats 0
- 2021: Republicans 13, Democrats 12
The Democrats last won in 2019. Their last sustained run of dominance came in the three years immediately preceding the pandemic. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) was named MVP of the 2025 game after coming on in relief and helping seal the win; Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) held the Democrats to two runs over five innings as the starting pitcher.
People cheer during the annual congressional baseball game, at Nationals Park in Washington, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
A History That Predates Most Things in Washington
The Congressional Baseball Game has been played since 1909, making it one of the longest continuously-running sporting events in American political life. It has been hosted at venues including American League Park II (1909), Georgetown Field (1911), Griffith Stadium (1926–1957), D.C. Stadium and RFK Stadium across various eras, and — since 2008 — Nationals Park, home of the 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals.
The largest margin of victory in game history remains the Democrats’ 36–4 win in 1928. The Republicans currently lead the all-time series 46–42.
Congress and Baseball — A Longer Story Than the Game Itself
The Congressional Baseball Game is the most visible piece of the relationship between Capitol Hill and the sport, but it’s not the only one. Congress has formally honored baseball history multiple times in the past decade, including the December 2023 ceremony at which House Speaker Mike Johnson presented a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously honoring Larry Doby — the second Black player to integrate Major League Baseball, who broke the American League’s color barrier with the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947, three months after Jackie Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., second from left, presents a Congressional Gold Medal struck to honor baseball player Larry Doby to his son Larry Doby Jr., second from right, during a ceremony at the Capitol, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. Joining them are House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of N.Y., left, and Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., right. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Doby Gold Medal ceremony — bipartisan, attended by both the Speaker and the House Minority Leader — is part of the same tradition that makes the Congressional Baseball Game what it is: a moment when the sport that Washington has played since 1909 becomes the thing both parties can agree to honor.
Why It Matters
Beyond the politics and the bragging rights, the Congressional Baseball Game has become one of the most significant single-night charity events in Washington. The 2025 game raised over $2.79 million — an annual record — supporting 45 local charities and four college scholarships. The foundation that organizes the game, Congressional Sports for Charity, was created in 2016 to formalize the event’s philanthropic mission.
For one night every June, members of Congress from both parties leave the legislative floor and meet on the diamond. As Rep. William Timmons (R-SC), the all-time leader in runs scored at the Congressional Baseball Game, told WBN ahead of the 2025 game: “In a divisive town like Washington, the Congressional Baseball Game is something that momentarily transcends political parties.”
First pitch is 7:05 PM ET, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at Nationals Park.
For more on the Congressional Baseball Game’s history, supported charities, and roster updates, visit congressionalbaseball.org. For our 2025 Congressional Baseball Game preview and on-field reporting from Matt Tallarini, read the WBN 2025 coverage.
The World Baseball Network covers the games — international, professional, amateur, and political — that connect baseball to the rest of the world. For more from WBN, visit worldbaseball.com.
