2027 MLB All-Star Game will return to Wrigley Field after a 37-year wait

For the first time in nearly four decades, baseball’s Midsummer Classic is coming back to the North Side. A press conference is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2025, with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Cubs executives, and city leaders will be in attendance to officially announce Wrigley Field as the host for the 2027 MLB All-Star Game. This will be the first time since 1990 that the Cubs’ historic ballpark will serve as center stage for the league’s biggest summer showcase.

The announcement follows months of planning and infrastructure coordination between the Cubs, the city of Chicago, and the state of Illinois. A key factor in securing MLB’s approval was a $30 million investment in security improvements, including the addition of removable safety barriers and wider sidewalks along Addison Street, to manage crowds better and enhance pedestrian safety. The upgrades, which were approved earlier this summer, were meant to address the challenges of hosting a high-security event in a dense residential neighborhood, effectively clearing the last hurdle for Chicago’s selection.

While previous host cities, such as Atlanta and Cleveland, saw $100 to $200 million in regional revenue during All-Star Week, Chicago is expected to surpass that amount. Local tourism boards estimate that the 2027 game could generate up to $300 million in economic activity across hotels, restaurants, retail, and transit sectors.

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Already accustomed to high foot traffic during the Cubs’ regular season, Wrigley Field’s surrounding neighborhood is bracing for a boost. “Wrigleyville is going to be electric,” said Michelle Thompson, general manager of a Clark Street sports bar. “This is bigger than Opening Day, bigger than the playoffs. We’re talking about national exposure and a week-long celebration of baseball.”

City officials anticipate a surge in job creation, with temporary positions in hospitality, event staffing, and transportation supplementing Chicago’s summer workforce. According to estimates tied to the Cubs’ 1060 Project, Wrigley Field activity already supports over 7,000 jobs annually. The All-Star Game could create hundreds more, particularly in the months leading up to the event.

Fans have responded with enthusiasm. “It’s about time,” said lifelong Cubs fan Anthony Delgado, who attended the 1990 game as a teenager. “Wrigley is a national treasure. Hosting again is long overdue.” Online, social media has been flooded with nostalgic posts, photos of the 1990 All-Star program, and hopeful speculation about who might represent the Cubs in 2027.

Still, not all feedback has been positive. Some residents have raised concerns about crowding, noise, and long-term disruptions associated with the new infrastructure. Regardless, supporters argue the event is a net win. “It’s good for the city and great for baseball,” Ald. Bennett Lawson of the44th ward, which includes Wrigleyville, told the Sun-Times. “This is a chance to showcase the best of Chicago to the world.”

The 2027 event will be the eighth time the All-Star Game is held in Chicago and the third at Wrigley Field, which will be 113 years old at the time of the first pitch. The last time the Friendly Confines hosted, it was the first All-Star Game played under lights in the park’s history.

Wrigley will once again be in the spotlight–this time with a little more neon, a lot more cameras, and a city ready to shine.