If you build it, they will come. And Royals fans may be headed to Iowa next year.
MLB announced today that the Royals will face the Red Sox in the “Field of Dreams” game in Dyersville, Iowa on August 12, 2027. The Phillies defeated Twins in this year’s event, held last night. The game will air exclusively on NBC Sports, with the Royals serving as the home team. Next year will be the fourth year MLB has hosted the event, commemorating the 1989 baseball film Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner.
Past Field of Dreams contests
2021 – White Sox 9 Yankees 8
2022 – Cubs 4 Reds 2
2026 – Phillies 7 Twins 1
“We are thrilled to showcase our athletes through one of Major League Baseball’s most cherished events and help to grow the game to a worldwide audience,” Royals President of Business Operations Cullen Maxey said. “Royals territory already covers the Midwest, including Dyersville, so this is a natural fit that provides Royals fans a chance to cheer on the home team in a magical setting.
The Royals will play the game on a Thursday, followed by a Friday off-day, before they resume their series against the Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
A permanent Field of Dreams ballpark opened this year featuring 3,000 seats that can expand to 8,000 seats temporarily. The dimensions are 335 down the lines, 380 to the alleys, and 400 to center with any ballpark references to old Comiskey Park in Chicago. In the past, tickets have been subject to a lottery with registration available only for Iowa residents.
According to Royals historian Curt Nelson, this is the third neutral site game played in club history. They played the White Sox at Milwaukee County Stadium in 1969, and the Tigers at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha in 2019.