Cubs Play Friday Afternoon Games at Wrigley Field Due to City Ordinance

The long-standing tradition is rooted in a local law that prevents night games on Fridays.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:39pm

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A fragmented, abstract painting depicting a baseball game at Wrigley Field, with the stadium's distinctive features and the motion of the players broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in shades of blue, red, and white.Wrigley Field's iconic architecture and the energy of a Cubs game are reimagined through a Cubist lens.Chicago Today

The Chicago Cubs consistently play their home games at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoons, a quirk that is largely due to a city ordinance that prohibits night games on Fridays. This law, aimed at reducing traffic and noise in the evenings, has led the Cubs to maintain a tradition of 1:20 p.m. CT (2:20 p.m. ET) start times for their Friday home games, even as the rest of Major League Baseball has shifted to playing more Friday night games.

Why it matters

The Cubs' Friday afternoon games at Wrigley Field are a unique tradition that sets them apart from the rest of the league. This scheduling quirk reflects the stadium's long history and the team's deep roots in the local community, as well as the city's efforts to balance the needs of residents and businesses in the surrounding neighborhood.

The details

A city ordinance in Chicago prevents the Cubs from hosting night games on Fridays at Wrigley Field. This law, which aims to limit traffic and noise in the evenings, has led the team to maintain a consistent 1:20 p.m. CT (2:20 p.m. ET) start time for their Friday home games. While the rest of Major League Baseball has shifted to playing more Friday night games, the Cubs have kept this tradition alive, in part because of Wrigley Field's history as a stadium that lacked lights for night games until relatively recently.

  • The Cubs have played Friday afternoon home games at Wrigley Field for decades.
  • The city ordinance preventing Friday night games at Wrigley Field has been in place for many years.

The players

Chicago Cubs

The professional baseball team that plays its home games at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Wrigley Field

The historic baseball stadium in Chicago that has been the home of the Cubs since 1916.

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The takeaway

The Cubs' Friday afternoon games at Wrigley Field are a unique tradition that reflects the team's deep roots in the local community and the city's efforts to balance the needs of residents and businesses. While the rest of the league has shifted to more Friday night games, the Cubs have maintained this quirk, which has become an integral part of the team's identity and the game-day experience for their fans.