Perfect Game All-American Classic coming to Citizens Bank Park in 2026
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
FIRST ON FOX: The Perfect Game All-American Classic is heading east, as the premier tournament of the world’s largest baseball viewing organization will be at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, in 2026.
The All-American Classic will take place on Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 5pm ET. Perfect Game CEO Rob Ponger told Fox News Digital how excited he is to have the game in Philadelphia.
“It’s also the 250th anniversary of America, right? Like Philadelphia, Philly, stars, stripes and hopes, right? From 1776 to 2026, America was born 250 years ago, and future baseball stars are born at this event,” Ponger told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
A general view from Citizens Bank Park during the national anthem on Opening Day between the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers. This photo was taken on March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Perfect Game All-American Classic features the top 60 high school baseball players in the country, many of whom will be first-round draft picks and future major leaguers.
Phillies stars Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler, Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr., Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson and New York Mets star Francisco Lindor played in the All-American Classic.
Ponger said that playing the match in Philadelphia gives the game a special importance due to the historical value of the city. He hopes it will help kids create memories that will last a lifetime.
“These kids are going to have moments of a lifetime. Even if they don’t make it to the majors or anything, it’s a moment that happens over and over again, you know, when that national anthem plays before the game, you take a step back and realize once again the importance of this being America’s 250th anniversary,” Ponger said.
ASTROS PLAYER SWINGS AND MISSES IN THREE SHOTS, WALKS ON THE THIRD BALL WHEN EVERYONE FORGOT COUNT
Charlie Manuel shakes players’ hands at the Perfect Game 14U Select Fest. This photo was taken in Fort Myers, Florida in August 2025. (Courtesy of Perfect Game)
“This is our PG All-American game. In Philly, with the Liberty Bell in the background. I think it’s great.”
Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who helped lead the team to a World Series title in 2008 and is the winningest manager in franchise history, is the event’s honorary chairman.
Ponger called him a Philadelphia legend and said it meant a lot to have him at the event.
In addition to Sunday’s All-American Classic, Perfect Game will also feature the PG All-Star Game on Friday, August 14 at 11 a.m. ET and the Launch Hydrate Home Run Challenge on Saturday, August 15.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
Bryce Harper poses for a photo with Perfect Game players ahead of the 2019 Perfect Game All-American Classic. This photo was taken in San Diego, California in August 2019. (Courtesy of Perfect Game)
Ponger hopes the weekend in Philadelphia will provide lifelong memories not only for the children, but also for their families who have been with them every step of their journey.
“America is the land of opportunity and dreams, right? And these kids are on that path, too. I mean, it almost sounds like a cliché, right? But like I said, stars, stripes and hopes,” Ponger said.
“But the parents, it’s been all their hard work over the last (many years) since they were little kids, I hope this isn’t the culmination of that because they go to D1 and they go to the MLB, but all the parents should be honored for this moment as well, right? And on top of that, their hard work now is, again, the symbolism of America.”
Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
