After Receiving Over 150 City Bidsmbb40+ States and Beyond, Banana Ball Organizers Finally Reveal the Selected Cities for the 2026 World Tour, Marking a New Era of Unmatched Fan Excitement and Global Expansion
For months, the buzz around the Savannah Bananas and their fast-paced, fan-first version of baseball—Banana Ball—has been impossible to ignore.
.From coast to coast, and even across international borders, cities have been competing to host games during the 2026 Banana Ball World Tour. Now, after reviewing a record-breaking 150-plus proposals from more than 40 states and several international partners, the team has finally unveiled the official list of host cities. This announcement represents a milestone moment for a sport that began as a quirky experiment in Savannah, Georgia, and has now blossomed into one of the most talked-about live entertainment experiences in North America.
The process began in early 2025, when the Bananas invited municipalities, sports commissions, and stadium operators to submit formal expressions of interest. The response exceeded even the organization’s highest expectations. Submissions poured in from small towns with century-old ballparks and major metropolitan areas with state-of-the-art stadiums. Even overseas venues—from Canada and Mexico to Europe and Asia—expressed an eagerness to bring Banana Ball to their communities. By mid-summer, the team had confirmed it had received more than 150 bids, a figure unmatched in its history. Two newly created Banana Ball teams, whose names have yet to be announced, also received over 50 invitations from cities hoping to host their debut appearances.
According to organizers, the final selection criteria included venue capacity, fan enthusiasm, community partnerships, and the ability to create the immersive, festival-like atmosphere that Banana Ball requires. “We’ve always said Banana Ball is about more than baseball,” said Jesse Cole, the Bananas’ yellow-tuxedo-wearing founder. “It’s about joy, creativity, and community. Every stop on this tour has to feel like a party where everyone’s invited.” That philosophy guided the months-long evaluation process, during which a dedicated team visited potential sites, reviewed proposals, and weighed logistics like travel routes and local regulations.
The newly announced 2026 Banana Ball World Tour will span every region of the United States, ensuring fans from New England to the Pacific Northwest can experience the spectacle. While the team has yet to publish the full schedule with dates, officials confirmed that the lineup includes a balanced mix of large and mid-sized markets, as well as a handful of international stops that will mark the sport’s first official games outside U.S. borders. “We’re planting seeds for the next decade,” Cole added. “This tour is about introducing Banana Ball to as many people as possible and setting the stage for a truly global phenomenon.”
The stakes are high. In 2024 and 2025, Banana Ball tours routinely sold out within minutes, drawing fans who might never have attended a traditional baseball game. With rules designed to keep the action moving—two-hour time limits, no bunting, players interacting with fans mid-game—the format has proven irresistible to families, casual spectators, and social media audiences. Videos of outrageous trick plays, choreographed dances, and fan participation have gone viral, making the Bananas a household name far beyond the baseball world. The 2026 tour’s expanded footprint will test just how far this appeal can stretch.
Local leaders in the selected cities are already celebrating. In statements released within hours of the announcement, mayors and tourism officials praised the Bananas for recognizing their communities’ passion and hospitality. Many have promised to organize citywide festivals, parades, and youth clinics to coincide with the games, transforming each tour stop into a multi-day celebration. “This isn’t just a game—it’s an economic boost, a cultural event, and an opportunity to showcase our city to a national audience,” said one Midwestern mayor whose town will host Banana Ball for the first time.
The addition of two yet-to-be-named Banana Ball teams adds an extra layer of intrigue. Their rosters, branding, and mascots will be unveiled in the months ahead, but the fact that they’ve already attracted such intense interest from host cities suggests the demand for more Banana Ball is real. Fans speculate the new teams will allow for more games, creative matchups, and a league-style format rather than a single exhibition squad traveling the country. Organizers have hinted at “surprise collaborations” and “once-in-a-lifetime” events at some stops, further fueling anticipation.
As the Bananas roll out the list of cities and prepare to release ticket information, fans are urged to sign up for early access and email alerts. In previous years, many venues sold out within hours, leaving thousands on waiting lists. The organization has pledged to increase capacity wherever possible, but also warns that demand may still outstrip supply. For many, attending a Banana Ball game has become a bucket-list experience akin to seeing a Broadway show or a major music festival.
The 2026 World Tour announcement underscores how far the Savannah Bananas have come since their humble beginnings. What started as a single collegiate summer league team in an aging ballpark has evolved into a multi-team entertainment brand with national television appearances, a dedicated streaming platform, and a reputation for redefining what sports can be. By selecting cities across more than 40 states—and venturing abroad for the first time—the Bananas are not just expanding their reach; they’re reimagining the future of live sports entertainment.
With less than a year to go before the first pitch, the countdown is on. From the East Coast to the West, from small-town stadiums to international arenas, Banana Ball’s 2026 World Tour promises to deliver its trademark mix of high-energy play, fan interaction, and joyful unpredictability to more people than ever before. If history is any guide, the games will be sold-out spectacles, the social media clips will go viral, and the legend of Banana Ball will grow even larger.
For fans who submitted their cities’ names months ago, today’s announcement is both a victory and an invitation: a chance to prove that their community can embrace and elevate one of the most innovative sports experiences in America. And for those still waiting for their turn, the Bananas hint that this is only the beginning. “We’re just getting started,” Cole said. “Banana Ball is for everyone, and 2026 is going to show the world exactly what that means.”
