Upcoming Washington Nationals dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The Nationals in brief: Expos roots, a Washington title
The Washington Nationals play home games at Nationals Park, on the Anacostia River in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, DC, with a regular season from late March or early April to late September and playoff baseball in October. The franchise began in 1969 as the Montreal Expos and moved to Washington for the 2005 season, the first MLB relocation since 1971. It plays in the National League East.
The Nationals' first home game in Washington was played on April 4, 2005, at RFK Stadium, where the team spent three seasons before moving to its current ballpark in 2008. The club's peak came in 2019, when it won the World Series over the Houston Astros in seven games, a series in which the road team won every game.
- Division titles: NL East champions in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
- The 2019 run: a 4–3 Wild Card Game win over Milwaukee, a Division Series win over the Dodgers, an NLCS sweep of the Cardinals and the World Series over Houston.
- Honors: Ryan Zimmerman's number 11 was retired in 2022. The Ring of Honor, created in 2010, recognizes figures from Washington baseball history, including the Homestead Grays, both Senators franchises and the Expos.
- Rivals: the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves in the division, and the Baltimore Orioles in the Beltway Series, played since 2006.
Where to sit at Nationals Park
Nationals Park opened on March 30, 2008, at 1500 South Capitol Street SE. Capacity is listed as 41,373 by Wikipedia and 41,565 by Ballparks of Baseball. The seating is organized in five levels: field, mezzanine, suite, gallery and upper gallery. The upper deck is split along the first-base side, a design that nods to old Griffith Stadium.
Dugouts and the lower bowl
The Nationals use the first-base dugout, and the visiting team sits on the third-base side. The lower deck wraps from the left-field foul pole around home plate to the right-field pole. Seats between the dugouts are the premium tier, led by padded seats behind home plate and club seating. For the best balance of price and view, look at the lower bowl just past the dugouts toward the foul poles, where you stay close to the field without paying for the infield premium.
The upper levels and the view of the city
The gallery and upper gallery seats are the value tier. Upper-deck seats on the first-base side look out toward the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument, which makes them the right pick for out-of-town visitors who want the city in the frame. The trade-off is distance: from the top rows the field looks small, so fans focused on the game should choose lower rows of the upper deck over the last rows.
Outfield seating and the Red Porch
The outfield bleachers are the lowest-cost seats in the park and the most social. The Red Porch area in center field sits beneath a restaurant and gives a straightaway view in toward the plate. Seats in the deep corners of the outfield are the ones to avoid if you care about judging balls and strikes; the angle hides the plate and the opposite corner.
Sun and shade
Nationals Park is open-air, and Washington summers are hot and humid. For day games, the upper rows of each level, sheltered by the deck above, keep shade the longest. If you buy low in the bowl for a summer afternoon game, bring sunscreen and expect direct sun for most of the game.
Season shape and the games that sell first
The Nationals train in February and March at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida, and open the regular season at home or on the road in late March or early April. The season runs through late September, with 81 home dates in Washington.
- Opening Day is a high-demand date, often with a ceremonial first pitch; President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch at the ballpark's debut in 2008.
- The Phillies series draw heavy crowds, partly because Philadelphia fans travel down Interstate 95 in large numbers, and the rivalry has had an edge since Bryce Harper left Washington for Philadelphia in 2019.
- The Beltway Series with Baltimore pits two neighboring fan bases against each other, so expect plenty of orange in the stands.
- The Fourth of July and summer weekend games fill faster than April and May weeknights.
The best values tend to be weeknight games early and late in the season against non-division opponents, where resale prices often slide close to first pitch.
Getting to Navy Yard on gameday
Metro is the easiest way to Nationals Park. The Navy Yard–Ballpark station on the Green Line sits one block from the ballpark, and most fans enter through the outfield gates closest to the station. After the game, the station gets crowded; waiting out the rush at one of the restaurants along the waterfront is often faster than joining the line right away.
- Parking: Wikipedia counts 14 sanctioned lots and garages around the ballpark. The team's guide lists accessible parking in all lots, with Garage C entered from First Street SE and Garage B from N Street SE. Neighborhood street parking is limited.
- Planning: the team publishes route options on its transportation page.
The blocks around the ballpark and the riverfront along the Anacostia are where most fans spend the hour before first pitch. Tailgating is not a feature of the urban setting; the pregame scene happens in the bars and restaurants nearby.
Bags, gates and in-park traditions
As of the 2026 season, the Nationals' ballpark guide requires clear bags with contents plainly visible; bags that are not clear are turned away. Check the team's current Nationals Park A-to-Z guide for size limits and exceptions before you go.
- Gates: 80 minutes before first pitch for most games, and 75 minutes before 6:45 p.m. games.
- Payment: the ballpark is cashless for tickets, food and merchandise. Cash can be exchanged at Guest Services near section 131.
- Re-entry: not allowed on the same ticket.
The signature in-game tradition is the Presidents Race, held in the middle of the fourth inning, in which costumed versions of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt race along the field. Teddy famously lost 525 straight races before his first win on October 3, 2012. A grove of cherry trees beyond left field and the center-field plaza is another local touch, and families should know about the kids' play area near the center-field gate. Every GoodSeats order ships free, with no digital transfer fees.
History and notable moments
The ballpark opened with a moment fans still mention: on March 30, 2008, Ryan Zimmerman hit a walk-off home run to win the first game at Nationals Park. The building was the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the country (LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council's green-building rating), and it has since hosted the 2018 All-Star Game, Games 3 through 5 of the 2019 World Series and the NHL's 2015 Winter Classic.
- 2010: Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 batters in his major league debut at home.
- 2012: the first division title in Washington ended in a Division Series Game 5 loss to St. Louis, after the Cardinals took the lead with two outs in the ninth.
- 2015: Bryce Harper, drafted first overall in 2010, won the NL MVP award.
- 2018: Juan Soto debuted as a 19-year-old; he was traded to San Diego in August 2022.
- 2019: the franchise's first World Series championship, clinched in Houston in a series where the road team won all seven games.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Washington Nationals play?
The Nationals play at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE, in the Navy Yard neighborhood on the Anacostia River. The ballpark opened in 2008.
What Metro stop is closest to Nationals Park?
Navy Yard–Ballpark on the Green Line, about one block from the ballpark. Most fans enter through the outfield gates near the station.
Which dugout do the Nationals use?
The Nationals use the first-base dugout, and the visiting team uses the third-base side.
Does Nationals Park have a clear-bag policy?
As of 2026, the team's guide says bags must be clear with contents visible. Check the current guide for size limits before you go.
What seats have a view of the Capitol?
Upper-deck seats on the first-base side look toward the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument.
When did the Nationals win the World Series?
The Nationals won the 2019 World Series over the Houston Astros in seven games, with the road team winning every game of the series.