Baseball to be back with a bang in London!

Image: MLB & London Stadium

The Major League Baseball (MLB) London Series (UK) will be reprised in 2023 with a two-game series between the MLB teams St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs on June 24^th and June 25^th, 2023, as was announced on August 4^th by the Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).

‘London Stadium’ stated that the 2023 London Series will mark a return to the baseball-configured London Stadium following the inaugural Mitel & MLB London Series that was held on June 29^th-30^th, 2019, between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The two-games at the London Stadium were the first-ever regular season games played in Europe.

The MLB London Series is an arrangement for Major League Baseball to play select regular season games at the London Stadium in London, England (UK). The arrangement was initially for two years, 2019 and 2020, which was sponsored by the Canadian telecommunications company Mitel and branded as Mitel & MLB Present London Series.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. As of 2022, a total of 30 teams play in Major League Baseball – 15 teams in the National League and 15 in the American League – with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is the collective bargaining representative for all current Major League Baseball players. All players, managers, coaches, and athletic trainers who hold or have held a signed contract with a Major League club are eligible for membership in the Association.

The 60,000-capacity London Stadium is a multipurpose outdoor stadium at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford district of London (UK). It is located in the Lower Lea Valley, six miles East of Central London.

‘London Stadium’ further stated that both teams have previously played regular season games on the international stage. In 2000, the Cubs traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to open the season with two-games against the New York Mets and in 2003, played a three-game series against the Montreal Expos in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2019, the Cardinals took on the Cincinnati Reds in a two-game series in Monterrey, Mexico.

Said William DeWitt Jr., Cardinals Chairman and head honcho, “The Cardinals are excited and honored to be a part of the London Series next year. The Cardinals-Cubs rivalry is one of the best in sports, and it will be exciting to bring it to Europe for a new audience to experience. I have no doubt that the passionate sports fans in London will love these games and we look forward to creating some new Cardinals fans overseas.”

Stated Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts, “The MLB London Series between the Cubs and Cardinals has been in the works for years now and we’re thrilled to finally be able to bring one of baseball’s biggest rivalries to fans abroad in 2023. We hope that this series not only excites and entertains but brings more international sports fans to the game we all love.”

Stated Graham Gilmore, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of London Stadium, “We are immensely proud to host Major League Baseball back at London Stadium, after the hugely popular London Series in 2019. This commitment will allow us to support the aim of MLB to grow the game in the United Kingdom for years to come, while demonstrating the versatility of our magnificent venue.”

The 2023 London Series is part of the MLB WORLD TOUR, a historic slate of games that will bring MLB teams and players to the league’s global fan base. The MLB WORLD TOUR represents MLB and the MLBPA’s largest ever international play plan featuring up to 24 regular season games and up to 16 exhibition games to be played in Asia, Mexico and Latin America, and Europe through the 2026 season.

Fans can register their details here to keep up to date with the latest information from MLB Europe.

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