The Cubs defeated the Indians when they won 4 games to 3 to win their first World Series since 1908 . Game 7 , an 8 -- 7 victory in extra innings , marked the fifth time that a Game 7 had gone past nine innings and the first since 1997 ( which , coincidentally , also featured the Indians ) . It was also the first to have a rain delay which occurred as the tenth inning was about to start . The Cubs became the sixth team to come back from a 3 - 1 deficit to win a best - of - seven World Series , following the 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates , the 1958 New York Yankees , the 1968 Detroit Tigers , the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates , and the 1985 Kansas City Royals . This was the second time and the first since 1948 where the World Series score was even .

Question: who did cubs beat in 2016 world series
Answer: the Indians