The 2026 World Series opens Friday between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, and the two ballparks in the spotlight couldn’t be more different. American Family Field in Milwaukee opened in 2001 and features North America’s only fan-shaped retractable roof, plus natural grass. Its opening was delayed by a 1999 crane collapse that killed three ironworkers, a chapter in the park’s history worth remembering. Milwaukee also has the steepest ticket prices of the series — an estimated $10,394 for four World Series seats.
Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg opened in 1990 and was never originally designed for baseball. Hurricane Milton tore off its fabric roof in 2024, and after about $60 million in repairs, the Rays returned this year following a season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Trop is known for quirky catwalk ground rules that can change the outcome of a play, and four World Series tickets there run about $3,222, less than a third of Milwaukee’s price.
Both parks will be under a microscope this week, and the Rays’ proposed $2.3 billion Tampa ballpark could open as early as 2029, meaning Tropicana Field’s days may be numbered. Roof open or closed in Milwaukee is an MLB decision, and low-50s temperatures point toward closed. Which ballpark would you rather watch a World Series game in? Let us know on our social pages.
