Savannah Bananas Take Banana Ball to Canada and Mexico in 2027

The Savannah Bananas will take Banana Ball to Canada and Mexico for the first time in 2027. The team announced its 2027 schedule on Thursday, October 15, in a selection show carried on ESPN2. The Bananas and five other Banana Ball teams will play in Canada and Mexico, alongside dates in 23 Major League Baseball stadiums and 10 football stadiums. Owner Jesse Cole told the Associated Press the move was a long time coming. He said: "This was 10 years in the making."

The international dates

The tour opens its international run in Monterrey, Mexico, on February 5 and 6, where the Savannah Bananas play the Texas Tailgaters. Tijuana, Mexico, follows on February 12 and 13, with the Party Animals against the Loco Beach Coconuts. Toronto hosts games on August 14 and 15, when the Savannah Bananas play the Indianapolis Clowns at Rogers Centre. Winnipeg closes the list with two venues. The Party Animals play the Texas Tailgaters on August 26 at Blue Cross Park and on August 28 at Princess Auto Stadium. For fans in both countries, these are the first chances to see Banana Ball at home.

From an air bed in Savannah

Cole launched the Bananas in Savannah, Georgia, in 2016, playing at historic Grayson Stadium. He recalled the early days for the Associated Press. He said: "We were just starting to sell tickets and trying to get off the air bed we were sleeping on." In 2023, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown opened an exhibit on the Bananas. A team that began with thin sales and an air bed now fills major league parks and plans a season counted in millions of fans.

A bigger tour in 2027

The full 2027 tour covers 74 cities and 79 stadiums with 204 shows, up from 192 games in 2026. Cole said Banana Ball will play in front of 4.3 million fans next year. There will be 30 games in Savannah. One date stands out for its design. On June 26 at Notre Dame Stadium, two baseball fields will be set up in opposite corners of the football stadium, with teams switching fields every inning so every fan gets a close view. A Disney film documenting the Bananas will debut on June 12 at Atlanta's Truist Park, with original music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

How Banana Ball works

The games run on rules built for pace and crowd contact. Games have a two-hour time limit. A fan who catches a foul ball records an out. Players have performed stunts such as a pitcher throwing while on stilts. A first time crowd can follow the action fast, because the game keeps moving and the crowd takes part.

Why it matters and what happens next

Going international tests whether Banana Ball is a local hit or a format that works anywhere. Canada and Mexico both have deep baseball traditions and major league sized venues on this schedule. Strong crowds in Monterrey, Tijuana, Toronto and Winnipeg would give Cole a case for taking the tour further. The first answer arrives on February 5 in Monterrey.