The Houston Astros are set to take the field at Daikin Park this Thursday for the 2026 Home Opener against the Los Angeles Angels. Amid the excitement and festivities, fans are wondering whether or not the ‘Stros will play under the sky or if the roof will remain closed. The answer: probably not. If you’re wondering why, take a look at the Houston Astros retractable roof guidelines.
While the course of the MLB season runs from March/April to September/October, the Houston Astros stadium will typically only retract its roof into May – you can blame the heat and humidity for that.
As seen on the Houston Astros page on the MLB website, whether or not the stadium retracts its roof depends predominately on environmental conditions, not excluding rain, temperature, and humidity. The official Houston Astros Retractable Roof Guidelines are listed below:
- Rain or severe weather threat ahead of or during the game window
- Temperatures or heat index exceeding 77 degrees or sub 65 degrees during game window
- Excessive wind threat of above 20 mph sustained during game window
- 55 degrees or above dew point during game window
- 50% relative humidity or above during game window
- High-profile or Jewel Event Games and/or Marquee Games, which are subject to public officials and Safety Act consultants’ safety and security recommendations
Sports Map reports other considerations that go into whether or not the roof is retracted relate to the Astros’ perception of home field advantage, creating a controlled environment for the players as well as a louder stadium.
Per the MLB, if the roof is closed at the start of the game, it can be reopened during the course of the game as determined by the home team – this can be done only once per game.
Whether or not the roof is retracted during the post-season is in part subject to the Commissioner in coordination with the home team, designated official, and/or umpire crew chief.
The Daikin Park roof is six acres wide; per MLB, the roof opens to “reveal the largest open area of any retractable roofed baseball stadium built today”. The roof takes 12 – 20 minutes to either open or close.
The Houston Astros will take on the Los Angeles Angels this Thursday, March 26, at 3:10 pm. Ahead of the Home Opener at Daikin Park, the festivities kick off at noon. Open to Home Opener ticket-holders, the Street Fest on Crawford will feature food trucks, photo-ops, yard games, and live music. The Street Fest runs until 3 pm.
