Cardinals fans flock to downtown St. Louis for 2026 season opener
St. Louis Cardinals fans poured out to support the Redbirds ahead of their 2026 opening day game against the Tampa Bay Rays onÌýThursday, March 26, 2026.
Cardinals fan Henry Wilson, 8, of Warrenton gets pumped up during the opening day pregame pep rally from atop his brother Michael’s shoulders on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village. For more, please see our coverage in ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ.
St. Louis Cardinals fan Jaclyn Harris’ wears her red converse sneakers to match her tattoo she got in honor of her father she described as a die-hard Cardinals fan to the pre-game opening day pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis Cardinals fan Hudson Loftus does a flip into the swimming poolÌýon the eighth floor of One Cardinal Way, while fans enjoy a skyhigh view of the St. Louis Cardinals opening day ceremonies in Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 25, 2026.
St. Louis Cardinals fans watch opening day ceremonies in Busch Stadium from One Cardinal Way on Thursday, March 26, 2026, before the team takes on the Tampa Bay Rays.
Resident Kevin Thatcher cools off in the swimming pool on the eighth floor of One Cardinal Way, overlooking Busch Stadium, as the grounds crew preps for the St. Louis Cardinals opening day game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, March 25, 2026.
St. Louis Cardinals fan put theirs hands in the their air during a pre-game opening day pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis Cardinals fan Stacey Cooley of north St. Louis County, uses a portable fan to stay cool during the Redbirds 2026 opening day pregame pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis Cardinals fan Darrieyon Hardin cheers alongside his mother Rita Hardin during a pre-game opening day pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
“I am dressed as an epic Cardinal fan,†said Russ Andert of Ballwin, who sports a red track suit with a giant chain and hat during an opening day pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis Cardinals fan Henry Wilson, 8, of Warrenton, enjoys the opening day pregame pep rally from atop his brother Michael’s shoulders on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
St. Louis Cardinals fan put their hands in the air during a pre-game opening day pep rally on Thursday, March 25, 2026, at Ballpark Village.
Laurie Skrivan | Post-Dispatch
Photographer
Liz Rymarev | Post-Dispatch
Photographer
Free article:ÌýSince the nanosecond Wetherholt was drafted No. 7 overall in 2024, many Cardinals fans wondered just when he would debut at Busch Stadium. Well, he's here.
Free article: With Lars Nootbaar on the IL, the Cardinals deployed Church as their left fielder for opening day. He is one of the options who will get looks there.
Free article: In the end, things worked out for both the current Cardinals left-handed starter and their former left-handed starter.
Free article: JJ Wetherholt brought the first earlyÌýexcitement with a home run in his big-league debut then a huge sixth-inning rally thrilled the Cardinals crowd in an opening day win.
The National Weather Service forecast a high of close to 92 degrees in St. Louis for Thursday. The normal high is 61.
Free article: In his second at-bat, Wetherholt broke a scoreless tie by jumping on an 0-2 fastball and sending it to dead center field and the famous Freese's lawn.
Free article: Re-live the excitement of opening day with the unparalleled coverage from the Post-Dispatch.
