Sawt Falasteen - MLB names iconic Wrigley Field as host of 2027 All-Star Game

Known for ivy-covered outfield walls and an old-style marquee, Wrigley Field is the second-oldest stadium in MLB, two years younger than Boston's Fenway Park, and offers seating for about 41,650 spectators.

The famed home of the National League Cubs, known to fans as the Friendly Confines, offers a classic look and style with more than a decade of work done to modernise the venue.

"The hard work put in to transform all of Wrigleyville into an outstanding destination deserves to be celebrated and shared on a national stage," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

"We look forward to bringing the Midsummer Classic back to historic Wrigley Field and working alongside the Cubs, city and state officials, and the local organizing group to bring an extraordinary experience to the baseball fans of Chicago."

The Cubs, who snapped a 108-year World Series title drought in 2016, will host the All-Star Game for the first time since 1990 on Tuesday, July 13, 2027. Wrigley was also the site of All-Star Games in 1947 and 1962.

Next year's All-Star Game will be staged in Philadelphia.

"We can't wait to showcase how we have preserved this iconic ballpark," Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts said.

"Wrigley Field means so much to Cubs fans and millions of people who have visited what we believe is a baseball cathedral."

Chicago's City Council passed a plan last month to improve security measures around the ballpark, where neighborhood bars abound.

Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg was a starter in the 1990 All-Star Game. The Hall of Fame infielder died on Monday and fans have left flowers, photos and other momentos at the base of Sandberg's statute outside the ballpark.

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST