The Cardinals vs Cubs Rivalry: Why Every Game Matters

The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs are separated by roughly 300 miles of highway, but in baseball terms they share one of the sport's oldest and most passionate rivalries. Both franchises date to the 1800s, and they have faced each other more than 2,000 times over more than a century of competition in the National League.

The Cardinals have historically held the edge in the rivalry, winning more head-to-head regular season games and claiming multiple World Series titles. The Cubs, having ended their 108-year championship drought with the 2016 World Series title, carry equal fire from their fan base. When these two clubs meet, games routinely draw national attention regardless of where either team sits in the standings.

As NL Central division rivals, every Cardinals vs Cubs series has direct postseason implications. A three-game swing in September can flip wild card positioning or hand one team a division lead. That context makes knowing how to watch — live, on time, and without interruption — genuinely important for fans of either side.

How to Find the 2025 Cardinals vs Cubs Schedule

The full MLB schedule for 2025 is published on mlb.com/schedule. Here is the fastest way to find every Cardinals vs Cubs matchup:

1. Go to mlb.com/schedule
2. Click the team dropdown filter and select St. Louis Cardinals or Chicago Cubs
3. Browse the calendar month by month and look for games where the opponent shown is the other team
4. Click any game entry to see the exact first pitch time, broadcast network, and a direct link to buy tickets

As division opponents, the Cardinals and Cubs play each other between 6 and 13 times per season, grouped in series of three consecutive games. Home games alternate between Busch Stadium in St. Louis and Wrigley Field in Chicago.

To get automatic reminders, open the MLB app on iOS or Android, navigate to the Cardinals or Cubs schedule, and tap the calendar icon next to any game. It exports directly to your Google Calendar or Apple Calendar with a first pitch alert built in.

How to Watch Cardinals vs Cubs on TV

Which channel carries a Cardinals vs Cubs game depends on the home team and whether a national broadcaster has claimed that specific date.

Regional Broadcasts

• Fox Sports Midwest / Bally Sports Midwest: Cardinals home and most away games air here for viewers in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and neighboring states. Available through most cable and satellite providers in those regions.
• Marquee Sports Network: Cubs home and away games broadcast on this Cubs-owned regional channel. Available on Comcast Xfinity, DirecTV, and other Chicago-area cable providers.

National Broadcasts

• ESPN / ESPN2: Select weeknight games, especially Monday and Wednesday matchups flagged as national interest games
• Fox: Saturday afternoon games throughout the regular season
• Apple TV+: Friday night games exclusively — free with any Apple TV+ subscription, no blackouts
• Peacock: Exclusive Sunday morning early-start games (typically 11:30 a.m. ET)

The fastest way to confirm tonight's channel: open the MLB app, tap the game, and the broadcast network appears directly under the teams' names. This updates in real time when a game gets moved to a different network.

How to Stream Cardinals vs Cubs Without Cable

You do not need a cable subscription to watch Cardinals vs Cubs games. These are the best options for cord-cutters in 2025:

MLB.TV — Best for Out-of-Market Fans

MLB.TV costs $149.99 per season or $24.99 per month. It streams every out-of-market game in full HD with multiple camera angles and radio call options. Blackout rules apply: if you live inside the Cardinals' or Cubs' designated local market, those specific games are blacked out. Fans outside both markets can watch every Cardinals vs Cubs game with no restrictions.

DirecTV Stream — Best Regional Sports Network Coverage

DirecTV Stream carries Fox Sports Midwest and Marquee Sports Network in their respective markets. Plans start around $69.99/month. It works on phones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming sticks without a satellite dish or cable box.

fuboTV — Good All-Around Sports Option

fuboTV includes regional sports networks in most Cardinals and Cubs markets. Plans start around $79.99/month and include a 7-day free trial. Good for households that also want NFL Sunday Ticket access.

Apple TV+ — Best for Friday Night Games

At $9.99/month, Apple TV+ carries all Friday night MLB games selected for national broadcast. No geographic blackouts — anyone in the US can watch regardless of location. Check the MLB section inside the Apple TV app to see if a specific Cardinals vs Cubs Friday game is featured that week.

Hulu + Live TV

Note: As of 2025, Hulu + Live TV does not carry Marquee Sports Network in most markets. Verify current channel availability on Hulu's website before subscribing if Cubs games are a priority.

How to Buy Tickets for Cardinals vs Cubs in Person

Attending a Cardinals vs Cubs game at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium is one of baseball's great experiences. Here is how to get tickets at every price level:

Official Team Ticket Pages (Lowest Fees)

• Cardinals tickets: mlb.com/cardinals/tickets — official source with Busch Stadium seating map
• Cubs tickets: mlb.com/cubs/tickets — official source with Wrigley Field interactive map

Buying directly from the team avoids third-party markups and ensures authentic tickets.

Resale and Last-Minute Options

• StubHub: Largest secondary marketplace with a buyer guarantee if a ticket is invalid
• SeatGeek: Rates deals with a Deal Score on each listing — useful for comparing price vs. seat quality
• Ticketmaster Resale: Official resale marketplace if you prefer buying through Ticketmaster's platform

What to Expect at Each Stadium

Wrigley Field (Chicago) opened in 1914 and is one of baseball's most historic ballparks. Arrive 90 minutes early to walk the neighborhood, grab food on Clark Street, and find parking (bring cash — street spots fill up fast). Upper deck bleacher tickets start around $30; infield box seats run $100–$200+. Unique option: rooftop clubs across Waveland Avenue offer a different viewing experience.

Busch Stadium (St. Louis) opened in 2006 with excellent sightlines from nearly every seat. Parking is convenient at Ballpark Village lots adjacent to the stadium. Family-friendly with strong food and drink options inside. Tickets typically range from $25 (upper deck) to $180+ (field box) for Cardinals vs Cubs games, which usually carry a small rivalry premium over regular games.

Following Live Scores and Stats During the Game

If you cannot watch live, you can follow every pitch of a Cardinals vs Cubs game in real time across several free platforms.

Best Score Apps and Sites

• MLB App (free): Official MLB app with live scores, pitch-by-pitch play tracking, in-game highlights uploaded within minutes, and pitch velocity data. Available on iOS and Android.
• ESPN App (free): Real-time scores with basic play-by-play and in-game stats for both teams
• Google: Search Cardinals score or Cubs score during any live game and a live scoreboard with current inning and score appears directly in search results — no app or subscription needed
• The Athletic: Beat reporters for both teams post inning-by-inning updates on X/Twitter during games and publish detailed post-game analysis within an hour of the final out

Radio Streams

Cardinals games broadcast on KMOX 1120 AM in St. Louis and stream free at Cardinals.com. Mike Shannon and John Rooney call Cardinals games. Cubs games air on 670 The Score in Chicago and stream free at Cubs.com. Both team websites stream radio broadcasts internationally without geographic restrictions.

Tips to Get More Out of Watching Cardinals vs Cubs

A few practical habits make following Cardinals vs Cubs games significantly better across a full season:

• Enable first pitch notifications: In the MLB app under Settings, turn on First Pitch alerts for either team. The app pings you the moment the umpire calls the first pitch so you never miss the start while busy with something else.
• Check weather before Wrigley Field day games: Wrigley Field's day games are played in open air with no roof. Wind blowing out toward Waveland Avenue turns the park into a hitter's paradise. Wind blowing in from Lake Michigan suppresses scoring. Checking wind direction on weather.com before the first pitch helps set realistic expectations for the game's pace and scoring.
• Use MLB.TV condensed game replays: If you miss a live Cardinals vs Cubs game, MLB.TV includes a condensed game version that compresses a full three-hour game into roughly 12 to 18 minutes showing every pitch and meaningful play. Condensed games appear in the app approximately two hours after the final out.
• Watch the NL Central standings: Cardinals vs Cubs games carry extra weight when both teams are competing for the same playoff spot. Before each series, check the current standings on mlb.com/standings. A three-game sweep in a tight race can shift the division lead by multiple games and dramatically change the playoff picture.
• Follow the beat reporters: For Cardinals coverage, reporters from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Athletic St. Louis provide detailed injury updates, lineup news, and starting pitcher information an hour before game time. For Cubs coverage, Chicago Tribune and The Athletic Chicago reporters do the same. These sources are more reliable than social media speculation when checking whether a key player is in the lineup tonight.