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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PERFECT GAME DICK’S ALL-AMERICAN CLASSIC HEADED TO
CITIZENS BANK PARK IN 2026
Perfect Game makes debut at iconic Phillies venue during
America’s 250th birthday celebration
Former Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel named
Honorary Chairman of All-American Classic
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Thursday, April 2, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced that the 2026 Perfect Game DICK’S All-American Classic will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, marking the first time a Perfect Game event has ever been held at the iconic home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The game will take place on Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET, representing the first time the DICK’S All-American Classic has been staged on the East Coast since 2005 in Aberdeen, Maryland.
The move also comes during a historic year as the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, with Philadelphia — widely regarded as the birthplace of America — serving as a focal point for national commemorations throughout 2026, including MLB’s All-Star Game. Citizens Bank Park has also played host to three World Series (2008, 2009 and 2022) and the 2012 NHL Winter Classic.
The weekend celebration of elite amateur baseball will include:
- PG All-Star Game – Friday, August 14 at 11:00 a.m. ET
- Launch Hydrate Home Run Challenge – Saturday, August 15
- DICK’S All-American Classic – Sunday, August 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Each year, the DICK’S All-American Classic features the top 60 high school baseball players in the country, many of whom go on to become first-round MLB Draft picks and future major leaguers.
“Bringing the DICK’S All-American Classic to Philadelphia is a milestone moment for Perfect Game,” said Perfect Game Chairman Rick Thurman. “Hosting our premiere event in the birthplace of America during the nation’s 250th anniversary makes this especially meaningful. Citizens Bank Park provides an iconic stage to celebrate both the future of baseball and a historic moment for the country.”
Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has been named Honorary Chairman of the All-American Classic. Manuel is the winningest manager in Phillies history, having led the team to back-to-back National League pennants (2008-09) and the 2008 World Series championship.
“Philadelphia will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Manuel. “To serve as honorary chairman of the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Citizens Bank Park — especially in a year when America is celebrating its 250th birthday — is a tremendous honor. There’s no better baseball city, no better fans and no better place to showcase MLB’s next generation of stars.”
The event has previously been held at venues such as Petco Park in San Diego, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Chase Field in Phoenix, and has featured alumni including Bryce Harper (2009), Zack Wheeler (2008), Bobby Witt Jr. (2018), Gunnar Henderson (2018), Francisco Lindor (2010), Hunter Greene (2016) and Dylan Cease (2013).
Player rosters, coaching staffs and broadcast details for the DICK’S All-American Classic will all be announced later in the year.
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Media contacts:
Greg Casterioto / Gcasterioto@perfectgame.org / (267) 246-5709
About Perfect Game
Perfect Game is the world’s largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing nearly 10,000 events, hundreds of thousands of games and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players perform with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, more than 2,383 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 15,797 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. In the 2025 Draft, for example, 92 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft’s first day had previously attended Perfect Game events.