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What have been the longest championship games across sports?

NCAA Football, MLB, NHL, NBA, WNBA, NFL, NCAA Women's Basketball, NCAA Men's Basketball, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Stars, New York Liberty, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Lynx, Toronto Blue Jays, North Carolina Tar Heels, Chicago Bulls, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Dodgers, Duke Blue Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Boston Bruins, Kansas Jayhawks

Game 3 of the 2025 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays was a baseball marathon. Spanning 18 innings, the game clocked in at 6 hours and 39 minutes. Freddie Freeman ultimately hit a walk-off home run to seal a 2-1 lead in the series for the Dodgers. Overall, the teams combined for 31 hits and 609 pitches.

The same series ended with a lengthy bang, after the Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays in an 11-inning Game 7. Which other leagues have had extended title matches? Check out more of the longest championship stage games across sports below:

*Stats provided by ESPN Research

MLB

  • 2025 World Series Game 3, Dodgers def. Blue Jays 6-5 in 18 innings

  • 2018 World Series Game 3, Dodgers def. Red Sox 3-2 in 18 innings 

NFL

  • Super Bowl LVII (2023), Kansas City Chiefs def. San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in OT

  • Super Bowl LI (2017), New England Patriots def. Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in OT

Pre-Super Bowl

  • 1962 AFL Championship Game, Dallas Texans (now Kansas City Chiefs) def. Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) 20-17 in 2 OT

  • 1958 NFL Championship Game, Baltimore Colts def. New York Giants 23-17 in OT

NBA

  • 1993 NBA Finals Game 3, Phoenix Suns def. Chicago Bulls 129-121 in 3 OT

  • 1976 NBA Finals Game 5, Boston Celtics def. Phoenix Suns 128-126 in 3 OT

NHL

  • 2013 Stanley Cup Final Game 1, Chicago Blackhawks def. Boston Bruins 4-3 in 3 OT

  • 2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 5, Pittsburgh Penguins def. Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in 3 OT

  • 2002 Stanley Cup Final Game 3, Detroit Red Wings def. Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in 3 OT

  • 2000 Stanley Cup Final Game 5, Dallas Stars def. New Jersey Devils 1-0 in 3 OT

  • 1999 Stanley Cup Final Game 6, Dallas Stars def. Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in 3 OT

  • 1996 Stanley Cup Final Game 4, Colorado Avalanche def. Florida Panthers 1-0 in 3 OT

  • 1990 Stanley Cup Final Game 1, Edmonton Oilers def. Boston Bruins 3-2 in 3 OT

  • 1931 Stanley Cup Final Game 3, Chicago Blackhawks def. Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in 3 OT

WNBA

  • 2024 WNBA Finals Game 5, New York Liberty def. Minnesota Lynx 67-62 in OT

  • 2024 WNBA Finals Game 1, Minnesota Lynx def. New York Liberty 95-93 in OT

  • 2021 WNBA Finals Game 2, Phoenix Mercury def. Chicago Sky 91-86 in OT

  • 2009 WNBA Finals Game 1, Phoenix Mercury def. Indiana Fever 120-116 in OT

  • 2005 WNBA Finals Game 2, Connecticut Sun def. Sacramento Monarchs 77-70 in OT

  • 2000 WNBA Finals Game 2, Houston Comets def. New York Liberty 79-73 in OT

  • 1998 WNBA Finals Game 2, Houston Comets def. Phoenix Mercury 74-69 in OT

Women's College Basketball

  • 2006 national championship, Maryland def. Duke 78-75 in OT

  • 1991 national championship, Tennessee def. Virginia 70-67 in OT

Men's College Basketball

  • 1957 national championship, North Carolina def. Kansas 54-53 in 3 OT

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