Excitement building around Trop return as tix for '26 go on sale

ST. PETERSBURG -- With single-game tickets for the 2026 season set to go on sale to the general public on Thursday, the Rays announced several ticket options, ballpark upgrades and other plans for their return to Tropicana Field next season.

Tickets will be made available in the MLB Ballpark app and at RaysBaseball.com/Tickets on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET, with advance parking also available for purchase alongside single-game tickets. Season members, Spring Training season ticket holders, corporate partners and Rays Insider subscribers will receive single-game ticket presale opportunities.

The Rays were unable to play at their home ballpark this past season due to the significant damage caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024. That forced them to spend the season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. But with the roof nearly replaced and repairs expected to be complete early next year, they will be back inside a new-and-improved Trop.

“We are excited to return home to Tropicana Field in April and to once again join our fans and neighboring businesses in downtown St. Petersburg in celebrating the return of Rays Baseball,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement. “As we open single-game ticket sales, we’re proud to offer a variety of additional options that make it easy for fans across the region to be part of the experience. This season is all about energy, excitement, and rallying behind the Rays as we chase every victory together!”

During the new ownership group’s introductory press conference in October, Babby said he believed Tropicana Field would “look better than it has ever looked” in time for the Rays’ home opener against the Cubs at 4:10 p.m. on April 6.

They are sticking to their word, announcing plans on Wednesday for an expanded main videoboard, new video displays behind home plate and along both foul poles, a new sound system and refreshed suite interiors.

Ticket prices have been reduced by an average of 15 percent for more than two-thirds of seats at Tropicana Field compared to 2024, according to the club. The Rays will once again make $10 tickets available for all home games next season.

Tampa Bay also announced an Opening Day “BOGO” ticket offer in which fans who purchase a single-game ticket for the home opener between Wednesday and Sunday (Nov. 12-16) will receive an email the following week with a code valid for a free ticket to any April or May home game.

The Rays also announced new premium seating options with upgraded seats and locations, along with new all-inclusive ticket packages. Fans can’t yet enter Tropicana Field to preview their seats, but the club will offer a “Premium Preview Center,” featuring a full-scale replica of the new seat and an interactive virtual tour with the exact view from their chosen seat, at the new Rays Pop-Up Team Store located at 1101 1st Ave. S., across the street from the Trop.

Game times for next season can be found on the Rays’ 2026 schedule. This year, Monday-Thursday home games will return to their 6:40 p.m. start times, with select weekday series finales beginning at 12:10 or 1:10 p.m. All Friday games are scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Saturday games will start at either 4:10 p.m. or 6:10 p.m., and all Sunday home games will begin at 1:40 p.m.

Finally, the Rays hinted at further plans to honor franchise icon Evan Longoria, who officially retired as a Ray in June but held off further celebrations -- including his planned induction into the Rays Hall of Fame -- until the team returned to Tropicana Field. The club announced that there will be “special events and promotional items to commemorate Longoria’s time as a Tampa Bay Ray” during its weekend series against the Mariners from July 10-12.