Brewers Win 2026 World Series Over Rays

Milwaukee defeated Tampa Bay in five games, with the series averaging 11.8 million U.S. television viewers.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Baseball

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Did you watch any of the 2026 World Series games on television?

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win the 2026 World Series. All five games were broadcast nationally on Fox, with the first two played at American Family Field in Milwaukee and the final three at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Why it matters

The series averaged 11.8 million viewers, down from 15.5 million in 2025 but up from the record-low 9.1 million in 2023. Viewership trends for the Fall Classic serve as a gauge of national interest in baseball's championship.

The series averaged 11.8 million viewers across five games, with Game 5 drawing the highest audience at 14.2 million and Game 3 the lowest at 8.3 million. The average trails the 15.5 million recorded for the 2025 World Series, though it exceeds the 2023 average of 9.1 million.

The players

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, competing in the National League Central division.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St. Petersburg, Florida, competing in the American League East division.

Fox

Fox is a major American broadcast television network that holds the national rights to the World Series.

The details

The Brewers won the series over the Rays, with Game 1 drawing 12.3 million viewers and Game 2 drawing 10.9 million. Games 4 and 5 drew 13.5 million and 14.2 million viewers, respectively, as the series moved to Tropicana Field.

2023: World Series averaged 9.1 million viewers, the lowest ever recorded.
2024: Dodgers beat Yankees; series averaged 15.1 million viewers.
2025: Dodgers beat Blue Jays; series averaged 15.5 million viewers.
2026: Brewers beat Rays; series averaged 11.8 million viewers.

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Season Trajectory

The 11.8 million average places the 2026 series between the record-low 9.1 million of 2023 and the 15.1 million and 15.5 million audiences of 2024 and 2025. The figures show the Fall Classic recovering from its lowest point but still below the two most recent series.

Fans following the Brewers and Rays can see the series' 14.2 million-viewer Game 5 as the high point of national viewing. The shift between the two venues placed the decisive games in front of Florida audiences.

The takeaway

The 2026 World Series drew a national audience that was lower than the previous year but higher than the record low two years earlier. Readers tracking the sport's broadcast fortunes can use these figures as a benchmark for future championship series.