Banana Ball is coming back to Disney World! ESPN’s Wide World of Sports will host the Banana Ball Open in 2027. This 4-team tournament will determine which team will secure a playoff spot super early in the year. The tournament is scheduled to take place April 15-18, 2027.
More info on the format and schedule:
While only four teams will be competing on the field, the other two teams that make up the Banana Ball Championship League will also be in attendance taking part in the entertainment. Read about our experience watching Banana Ball at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports from 2026.
Looking for tickets? You’ll need to join the ticket lottery on BananaBall.com. Getting tickets can be tough, and we’d expect Disney World to once again attract a lot of out-of-state fans for Banana Ball.
New to Banana Ball? It’s baseball by birth, fruit by name, and an absolute worldwide phenomenon. While the dancing, singing, and entertainment is scripted, the action on the field is very real and very competitive. We often hear it compared to the Harlem Globetrotters, and while it’s true there’s trick plays and crazy things happening, it’s not the best comparison. Every team is trying their hardest to win.
Rules of Banana Ball
- 2-hour time limit – No new inning can start after 2 hours.
- Fans can catch foul balls for outs – If a fan catches a foul ball cleanly the batter is out. It’s an amazing rule!
- Each inning is worth one point – Every inning is worth one point. The team that gets the most runs in an inning, gets a point for that inning, except for the last inning, where every run counts. Think of it like match play in golf.
- No walks – On ball four, the batter runs to first base and can advance to as many bases as possible while the defending team must have every position player touch the ball before the batter can be tagged out. It’s called a Ball Four Sprint.
- No bunts – Bunt and you’re ejected.
- Batters can’t step out of the box – Step out and it’s a strike (except on foul balls)
- No visits to the mound
- Batters can steal first – If a pitcher throws a wild pitch, a batter can try to run to first.
- Equalizer Point – If the visiting team has more total trick plays than the home team going into the final inning, the visiting team is awarded one bonus point before the final inning begins. The home team can only deny the trick play point.
