Chicago Cubs will officially host 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field
It's official! The Chicago Cubs will host the 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field.
City officials, Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts, and some of the team's alumni attended a special ceremony Friday morning at the ballpark.
The game, which will take place on July 13, 2027, will also be the fourth time the team will host a Midsummer Classic.
Ricketts said having the game in Chicago is "an honor for our team, our city, and our state."
"We can't wait to showcase how we have preserved this iconic ballpark. Wrigley Field means so much to Cubs fans and millions of people who have visited what we believe is a baseball cathedral and one of Illinois' top tourist destinations. We play in a world-class city that is especially beautiful in the summer, and we're looking forward to hosting the best players in our great game and fans from around the world," he said.
Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed excitement about the game coming to the city.
"I am thrilled that the 2027 MLB All-Star Game will be hosted at Wrigley Field in Chicago and that baseball fans from around the world get to experience all that our city has to offer," Pritzker said. "There is simply no place like Wrigley, and the State of Illinois looks forward to working with the Cubs to prepare the storied ballpark and one-of-a-kind neighborhood for this historic event."
"On behalf of the City of Chicago, I am thrilled to welcome the 2027 MLB All-Star Game to our city," Johnson said. "Chicago is a baseball city, we have the experience, the infrastructure, and the unmatched spirit to host world-class events, and we are thrilled to welcome MLB players and fans from across the country to Wrigleyville. Many thanks to MLB and the Cubs organization for their commitment to Chicago and to meaningfully engage with our communities ahead of the event."
This will be the first time an All-Star Game has been held at Wrigley since 1990, when Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg won the home run derby.
The selection of Wrigley Field as the 2027 All-Star Game host comes as the Cubs prepare to honor Sandberg, who died earlier this week. That includes having his No. 23 painted on the field.
Friday's announcement also paid tribute to Sandberg, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
"Ryne played in 10 All-Star games. Notably, he played in the last All-Star Game that was at Wrigley in 1990," Ricketts said.
Former teammate Andre Dawson, who also played in the 1990 All-Star Game, had hoped to sit next to Sandberg at Friday's announcement, which has been anticipated for months.
"It's been a gut-wrenching week, but you know I just, I'm thankful that now the announcement is behind us, the city, the fans, they're all looking forward to it, and there's a lot of work to do still yet, but it's going to be fun, it' going to be exciting," he said.
Wrigley Field has undergone extensive renovations since the last time it hosted an All-Star Game, another significant factor in its selection for 2027.
"Every piece of steel, concrete, electrical plumbing, all that; so effectively replacing each of the parts of Wrigley Field that needed to be replaced over a series of years was an incredible project, and then of course outside. You know we really wanted to make it family friendly and neighbor friendly," Ricketts said. "We can't wait to show fans who have never been here before what kind of experience this place is, what kind of a special ballpark we have, and what an incredible neighborhood we have around Wrigley field."
In June, the City Council passed an ordinance to install bollards or anchored-down cylinders around the ballpark to increase security in the area. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the development of Wrigleyville makes it a perfect host.
In addition to the game, the Cubs promise celebrations all week leading up to the 2027 All-Star Game, including of course the home run derby, when ballhawks will certainly be crowding Sheffield and Waveland avenues outside the stadium, hoping to catch any of the balls that might fly out of the Friendly Confines.
Next year's game will take place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.