Arlington and Phoenix join the 2026 IndyCar calendar while Mexico is left out

IndyCar announced its schedule for the 2026 season this Tuesday, revealing 17 dates that include the debut of Arlington as a new venue, the return of Phoenix Raceway after an eight-year absence, and a strategic scheduling of Nashville to capitalize on the audience from the FIFA World Cup final.

For the first time in the modern history of the series, there will be three races in consecutive weeks to open the season: St. Petersburg on March 1st, Phoenix on March 7th, and the premiere of Arlington on March 15th. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca regains the championship finale date on September 6th, while plans for Mexico are postponed until 2027 due to logistical conflicts with the World Cup.

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Arlington represents the first IndyCar race in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, with a 2.73-mile, 14-turn circuit developed through a collaboration between IndyCar, the Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment. Phoenix will return with its "dogleg" configuration on a weekend shared with NASCAR.

"Our growth leads the industry and will only accelerate as we increase investment in our events," stated Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp.

Four Races in Five Weeks to Open 2026

St. Petersburg will maintain its position as the season opener for the fifth consecutive year. One week later, on March 7th, Phoenix Raceway will host the series on a Saturday, sharing the weekend with NASCAR. Arizona has hosted IndyCar on 64 previous occasions, with winners like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva, Bobby Rahal, Rick Mears, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, and Josef Newgarden.

Arlington will debut on March 15th. The event represents a collaboration between IndyCar, the Dallas Cowboys, and REV Entertainment, the official events partner of the Texas Rangers.

"We're going to start the season appropriately, with four races in five weeks," explained J. Douglas Boles, president of IndyCar. "Our joint weekend in partnership with NASCAR at Phoenix Raceway will be a must-see for motorsport fans across the country."

Barber Motorsports Park will close out March on the 29th, marking the series' 16th race in Alabama.

Nashville to Capitalize on FIFA World Cup Audience in the United States

The race on July 19th at Nashville Superspeedway is strategically scheduled to start just after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on the same day. In the United States, FOX will broadcast both events back-to-back, aiming to keep the millions of viewers who watch the soccer match tuned in for the IndyCar race. It's a move to capture an audience that doesn't normally watch races, capitalizing on the fact they will already be in front of their TVs after the most-watched sporting event on the planet. The race will be 400 miles and will finish under the lights in Nashville.

Nashville used a street circuit in the city center from 2021 to 2023, but since 2024 the series has raced at Nashville Superspeedway because construction of the new Tennessee Titans stadium prevents the use of the street course. For 2026, IndyCar is keeping the oval as the venue for this date.

Long Beach will keep its traditional date of April 19th, while the Month of May in Indianapolis will include the race on the road course on May 9th and the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24th. Detroit will continue on the last Sunday of May, followed by World Wide Technology Raceway on June 7th in a nighttime slot.

Road America will host the series on June 21st. Last year's race in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, had a record nine different leaders and the second-highest number of on-track passes recorded there.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will maintain the Fourth of July tradition with its race on July 5th. The track will host IndyCar races for the 42nd year in 2026, matching Long Beach for longevity.

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WeatherTech Raceway to Crown the 2026 Champion

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will host the final race of the championship on September 6th, returning as the site of the coronation after ceding that honor to Nashville in recent years. Laguna Seca has seen investments under the management of Friends of Laguna Seca, a local non-profit organization.

Milwaukee Mile will maintain its double-header format on August 29th and 30th. In recent years, the 250-lap races have recorded the highest number of on-track passes in the venue's history.

Markham, Ontario, will debut on August 16th with a 2.19-mile, 12-turn circuit that will include a dual-sided pit lane. The date marks the 38th year the series competes in Ontario and the 40th IndyCar race in the Canadian province. Markham, part of the York Region in Ontario, has a population of over 1.25 million people.

Portland International Raceway will open August on the 9th, marking the 32nd IndyCar weekend in the Pacific Northwest city.

Pato O'Ward Backs Plans for Mexico in 2027

IndyCar confirmed on September 13th that the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will not be part of the 2026 calendar, but plans continue for 2027. Mark Miles explained that "while extensive progress was made with the venue's operating group and our potential promoter, the impact of next year's World Cup proved too challenging to secure a successful event given the available dates in the summer."

Miles added: "While we absolutely want to race in Mexico, we also want to ensure that everyone involved feels the conditions are right to plan a world-class race weekend. We will continue working to bring our racing to Mexico and expect an event to be on the calendar as soon as the right opportunity presents itself."

Pato O'Ward expressed his stance: "No one wants a race in Mexico more than I do. But we want to create an incredible event built to last. That requires the right date and the right year for fans and sponsors to fully support our sport. I am motivated to push this effort forward and participate in a future race in my home country."

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Alex Palou enters the 2026 season as the defending three-time champion, being the first driver to achieve three consecutive titles in 14 years.

2026 IndyCar Schedule