Sports fans are in for an extra special treat just days before Halloween in 2026. The sports equinox is Monday, offering fans a bevy of exciting games to watch on what — in a just world — should be one of the biggest holidays of the year.

The slate should be exciting in 2026, as a number of prominent teams will take their respective fields, courts or rinks this year. With so much action, sports fans face one big question: Which games should they prioritize on such an action-packed sports day?

Below, is everything sports fans need to know about the 2026 sports equinox.

What is the sports equinox?

A sports equinox occurs when MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL hold games on the same day. A sports equinox isn't limited to just those leagues, but those four leagues are necessary for the day to be considered a sports equinox.

When is the sports equinox season?

Due to MLB's schedule, the sports equinox typically occurs in the fall, usually in October. Since the NBA, NFL and NHL are always in season during the month, the sports equinox is often dependent on the World Series, which has consistently been pushed into late October or early November in recent years.

In 2026, the sports equinox will take place Monday.

Sports equinox 2026 schedule

Here is a list of every single MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL game being played on Monday:

MLB

Both organizations will continue the fight for their first-ever World Series title. The Brewers won the first two games in Milwaukee as the series now moves to Tampa Bay. Freddy Peralta is expected to start for the Rays against the Brewers' Robert Gasser.

NBA

• Washington Wizards vs. Charlotte Hornets (7 p.m. ET) • Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m. ET)

The Timberwolves looked incredibly strong on opening night, scoring a Western Conference-best 131 points in in a win over the Miami Heat. The Cavaliers, who blew a 29-point lead to the Philadelphia 76ers in their opener, are looking to take the Eastern Conference crown back from the Pistons. • Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET) • Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. ET)

Giannis Antetokounmpo showed out on opening night, dropping 35 points in his game in Miami but the Heat so far remain winless. Mavericks second-year star Cooper Flagg put up 32 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets in the opener, but missed Dallas' last game with a shoulder injury. • Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks (8 p.m. ET) • Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (8 p.m. ET)

The Thunder and Suns had some bad blood after last year's playoff matchup. While Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander insisted Dillon Brooks' antics weren't an issue in the series, the Thunder star still took a shot at Brooks once the Thunder advanced. That rivalry should continue Monday. • Atlanta Hawks vs. Houston Rockets (8:30 p.m. ET) • Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz (9 p.m. ET) • Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets (10 p.m. ET)

Stephen Curry vs. Nikola Jokic … what more needs to be said? It should be a close contest, as both teams split the regular-season series 2-2 last year.

NFL

• Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles (8:15 p.m. ET)

Tanner McKee makes his second start of the season — and first since Jalen Hurts was sidelined due to blood clots. While the Cowboys don't present the scariest matchup, a win by Philadelphia would go a long way toward the team getting back into the NFC East race after losing four straight games. Dallas, similarly, is in desperate need of a win after dropping its past two contests.

NHL

• Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET) • Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Calgary Flames (8:30 p.m. ET) • Detroit Red Wings vs. Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET)

Connor McDavid is out to a record-breaking start this season. He'll look to continue his quest for a 200-point season Monday night against the Red Wings.

WNBA sports equinox schedule

While the WNBA is not technically included as part of the sports equinox, the league is playing a pretty important game Monday, Oct. 26.

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will square off in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals at 8 p.m. ET. The Valkyries won Game 4 to even the series at two games apiece.

While MLS and NWSL games can sometimes occur on the sports equinox, that won't be the case in 2026, as neither league will hold games Monday.

Sports equinox history

The sports equinox has taken place 32 other times prior to 2026. This year will mark the 33rd time a sports equinox has occurred.

Here's a full list of each date of a sports equinox, per Sports Reference:

• Sunday, Oct. 17, 1971

• Sunday, Oct. 15, 1972

• Sunday, Oct. 22, 1972

• Sunday, Oct. 14, 1973

• Sunday, Oct. 21, 1973

• Sunday, Oct. 15, 1978

• Sunday, Oct. 14, 1979

• Sunday, Oct. 12, 1980

• Sunday, Oct. 19, 1980

• Sunday, Oct. 27, 1985

• Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001

• Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009

• Monday, Nov. 2, 2009

• Monday, Nov. 1, 2010

• Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015

• Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016

• Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017

• Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017

• Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

• Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018

• Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019

• Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020

• Sunday, Sept.13, 2020

• Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020

• Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021

• Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021

• Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022

• Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022

• Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022

• Monday, Oct. 30, 2023

• Monday, Oct. 28, 2024

• Monday, Oct. 27, 2025

• Monday, Oct. 26, 2026

As that list shows, the sports equinox takes place in October the majority of the time. Twenty-four of the 33 sports equinoxes took place during the month. Six have occurred in November and three have taken place in September.

While a sports equinox was more common in the '70s, there was a large gap where it was an extremely rare event. But as MLB has pushed back the World Series, the sports equinox has become more likely since 2015.

There are also some years in which the sports equinox occurred multiple times. That won't be the case in 2026, as the World Series won't line up on another day in which the NFL is playing.

What is an equinox?

An equinox is a real thing that has nothing to do with sports. The event occurs when the sun appears in line with the Earth's equator. Because of that, both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere of the planet receives roughly equal amounts of daytime and nighttime, per National Geographic. An actual equinox occurs twice a year, once in March and once in September.