2026 Central League Climax Series Schedule and TV Broadcast Details

The 2026 Central League Climax Series begins on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, setting up a postseason race between the Hanshin Tigers, Yomiuri Giants, and Yokohama DeNA BayStars to determine the league’s representative for the Japan Series.

Hanshin Tigers Secure Top Seed for Final Stage

The Hanshin Tigers secured the Central League regular-season pennant, earning the top seed and a direct bye into the final stage. The Yomiuri Giants finished the regular season in second place, while the Yokohama DeNA BayStars claimed third place, setting up an opening round between the two rivals.

First Stage Matchup at Tokyo Dome

The 1st Stage features a three-game series between the Yomiuri Giants and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Tokyo Dome, running from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12. The series operates on a two-wins-needed format. A third game will only be played if the first two contests fail to produce a series winner.

Final Stage at Hanshin Koshien Stadium

The winner of the opening round advances to face the Hanshin Tigers in the Final Stage at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, starting Oct. 14. Hanshin enters the six-game series with a one-win advantage, requiring four victories to advance. The series can stretch up to six games, with contests scheduled through Oct. 19 if necessary, though games from the fourth matchup onward depend on whether a team has already clinched the pennant series.

DAZN and Terrestrial Channels Broadcast Postseason Games

Television coverage includes free-to-air terrestrial broadcasts for games throughout the postseason schedule. For viewers seeking live digital coverage, DAZN is scheduled to stream every game of both the 1st Stage and the Final Stage live. While standard DAZN subscriptions require a paid plan, alternative subscription bundles such as the DMM×DAZN Ho-Dai package provide discounted access. The standalone baseball-focused plan DAZN BASEBALL covers regular and postseason content, though it excludes Hiroshima-hosted home games.