2026 World Baseball Classic
International baseball tournament
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 World Baseball Classic was an international professional baseball tournament between 20 national baseball teams, and the sixth iteration of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). It ran from March 5 to 17, 2026.[1] The pool-play rounds were played in LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida; Daikin Park in Houston, Texas; Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. Two quarterfinals were played in Houston, while the remaining knockout stage games were played in Miami.[2]
| |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  Japan United States Puerto Rico |
| Cities |  Houston, Texas Miami, Florida San Juan Tokyo |
| Dates | March 5–17, 2026 |
| Teams | 20 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Venezuela (1st title) |
| Runners-up | United States |
| Third place |  Dominican Republic |
| Fourth place |  Italy |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Games played | 47 |
| Attendance | 1,355,266 (28,835 per game) |
| Best BA | Kyle Teel (.667) |
| Most HRs | Four tied[note 1] (3) |
| Most SBs |  Tsung-Che Cheng (4) |
| Best ERA | Eleven tied (0.00) |
| Most Ks (as pitcher) | Cristopher Sánchez (12) |
| Awards | |
| MVP | Maikel García |
Japan was the defending champion, defeating the United States in the 2023 WBC championship game,[3] but was eliminated by the eventual champion Venezuela in the quarterfinals. Japan's failure to reach the semifinals was its worst-ever finish in tournament history.[4] The Dominican Republic and Italy, the tournament's last undefeated teams, were eliminated by the United States and Venezuela, respectively, in the semifinals, meaning that for the first time since 2017, no team finished the WBC with an undefeated record. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela, the top two teams from the Americas (alongside Olympic hosts United States), qualified for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, to be held in Los Angeles.[5][6]
Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time, taking a 3–2 lead in the championship game with a run batted in double by Eugenio Suárez in the top of the ninth inning. Maikel García was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
Teams
Qualification
16 teams qualified for the 2026 WBC tournament by virtue of having placed in the top four of their respective pools in the 2023 World Baseball Classic tournament.
Four additional teams qualified through the 2026 WBC qualifying tournament.[7][2] The qualifying tournament included 8 teams, downsized from the 12 teams that had competed in the 2023 WBC qualifiers. The first pool took place in Taipei, and included Chinese Taipei, Spain, Nicaragua, and South Africa; the second pool took place in Tucson, Arizona, and included Colombia, China, Brazil, and Germany.[8] The Taipei pool ran from February 21–25, 2025, and the Tucson pool ran from March 2–6, 2025.[9]
Colombia, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Chinese Taipei all qualified for the 2026 WBC. Brazil qualified for the first time since 2013. China failed to qualify for the first time in the World Baseball Classic, as it was eliminated after it lost all three of its games in the qualifiers.
| Region | Team | Qualification method |
Prev. apps |
Previous best result | WBSC world ranking1[10] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Americas |  Brazil |
Qualifiers Pool B 2nd-place playoff winner | 1 | First round (2013) | 22 |
 Canada |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 3rd place | 5 | First round (2006, 2009, 2013, 2017)/pool stage (2023) | 20 | |
 Colombia |
Qualifiers Pool B winner | 2 | First round (2017)/pool stage (2023) | 13 | |
 Cuba |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A winner | 5 | Runners-up (2006) | 10 | |
| Dominican Republic |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 3rd place | 5 | Champions (2013) | 12 | |
 Mexico |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C winner | 5 | Semifinals (2023) | 6 | |
 Nicaragua |
Qualifiers Pool A winner | 1 | Pool stage (2023) | 16 | |
 Panama |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 4th place | 3 | First round (2006, 2009)/pool stage (2023) | 8 | |
| Puerto Rico |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D Runners-up | 5 | Runners-up (2013, 2017) | 7 | |
| United States |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C Runners-up | 5 | Champions (2017) | 3 | |
| Venezuela |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D winner | 5 | Semifinals (2009) | 5 | |
| Asia | Chinese Taipei |
Qualifiers Pool A Second-place playoff winner | 5 | Second round (2013) | 2 |
| Japan |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B winner | 5 | Champions (2006, 2009, 2023) | 1 | |
 South Korea |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 3rd place | 5 | Runners-up (2009) | 4 | |
| Europe |  Czechia |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 4th place | 1 | Pool stage (2023) | 15 |
 Great Britain |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 4th place | 1 | Pool stage (2023) | 19 | |
 Israel |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 4th place | 2 | Second round (2017) | 21 | |
| Italy |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A Runners-up | 5 | Second round (2013)/quarterfinals (2023) | 14 | |
 Netherlands |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 3rd place | 5 | Semifinals (2013, 2017) | 9 | |
| Oceania |  Australia |
2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B Runners-up | 5 | Quarterfinals (2023) | 11 |
1 Ranking as of December 31, 2025
Pools
The pools and schedule were announced on August 21, 2024. Each pool contained an unspecified winner of a qualifier.[11] The pool assignments of the teams that advanced from the qualifiers (pot 5) were announced on April 9, 2025.[12] The pool assignments prioritized the hosts (Japan, Puerto Rico, and the United States). The remaining pool assignments were made based on WBSC World Rankings, competitive balance, and commercial and geographic interest.
Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate positions in the WBSC World Rankings at the time of the announcement of the pools.[13]
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 | Pot 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan (1) (H) United States (5) (H) Puerto Rico (9) (H) Venezuela (3) |
Mexico (4) South Korea (6) Netherlands (7) Panama (8) |
Cuba (10) Dominican Republic (11) Australia (12) Italy (14) |
Czech Republic (15) Great Britain (18) Israel (19) Canada (22) |
Chinese Taipei (2) Colombia (13) Nicaragua (16) Brazil (23) |
Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate positions in the WBSC World Rankings at the time of the announcement of the pools. The decimal number represents the average ranking in the designated pool.
| Pot | Pool A (12.4) | Pool B (12.8) | Pool C (7.2) | Pool D (11.2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan |
Houston |
Tokyo |
Miami | |
| Pot 1 | Puerto Rico (9) (H) |
United States (5) (H) |
Japan (1) (H) |
Venezuela (3) |
| Pot 2 | Panama (8) |
Mexico (4) |
South Korea (6) |
Netherlands (7) |
| Pot 3 | Cuba (10) |
Italy (14) |
Australia (12) |
Dominican Republic (11) |
| Pot 4 | Canada (22) |
Great Britain (18) |
Czechia (15) |
Israel (19) |
| Pot 5 | Colombia (13) |
Brazil (23) |
Chinese Taipei (2) |
Nicaragua (16) |
Venues
The main tournament was held in four stadiums.[2]
| Pool A | Pool B & two quarterfinals | Pool C | Pool D, two quarterfinals, semifinals and final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Houston, Texas |
Tokyo, Japan |
Miami, Florida | ||||
| Hiram Bithorn Stadium | Daikin Park | Tokyo Dome | LoanDepot Park | ||||
| Capacity: 19,125 | Capacity: 41,168 | Capacity: 45,600 | Capacity: 36,742 | ||||
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 |
 |
 | ||||
Rosters
Pre-WBC friendly games
To prepare for the tournament, teams played friendly preparation games between November 2025 and March 2026.
2025
| Friendly Non-MLB Squads |
November 8 | Czech Republic |
0–3 | South Korea |
Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, South Korea |
| 14:03 KST | LP: Jan Novák |
Boxscore | WP: Kim Keon-woo Sv: Jo Byeong-hyeon |
Attendance: 16,100 |
| Friendly Non-MLB Squads |
November 9 | South Korea |
11–1 | Czech Republic |
Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, South Korea |
| 14:00 KST | WP: Lee Min-seok HR: Lee Jae-won (1) |
Boxscore | LP: Thomas Ondra |
Attendance: 16,100 |
| Friendly Non-MLB Squads |
November 15 | South Korea |
4–11 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome, Japan |
| 18:36 JT | LP: Kim Taek-yeon HR: Ahn Hyun-min (1), Song Sung-mun (1) |
Boxscore | WP: Yuki Matsumoto HR: Yukinori Kishida (1) |
Attendance: 41,631 |
| Friendly Non-MLB Squads |
November 16 | Japan |
7–7 | South Korea |
Tokyo Dome, Japan |
| 19:08 JT | Boxscore | HR: Ahn Hyun-min (2), Kim Ju-won (1) | Attendance: 41,627 |
2026
| Friendly CPBL Squads (Including non-roster invitees) |
February 13 | Chinese Taipei |
3–2 | TSG Hawks | Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium, Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 13:00 TST | Attendance: 12,000 |
| Friendly CPBL Squads (Including non-roster invitees) |
February 14 | Chinese Taipei |
6–2 | TSG Hawks | Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium, Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| 13:00 TST | Attendance: 12,000 |
| Friendly | February 19 | Cuba |
2–2 | Nicaragua |
Estádio Roberto Clemente Masaya, Nicaragua |
| 16:00 CST | Attendance: 4,000 |
| Friendly Played in 7 innings |
February 20 | South Korea |
3–4 | Samsung Lions | ONNA Akama Ball Park, Onna, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 21 | Australia |
4–2 | All-Ashikaga | Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly Played in 7 innings |
February 21 | South Korea |
5–2 | Hanwha Eagles | Kochinda Sports Park Baseball Field Kochinda, Japan |
| 12:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 21 | Chinese Taipei |
2–2 | Kiwoom Heroes | Taipei Dome, Taipei, Taiwan |
| Friendly | February 22 | Chinese Taipei |
2–7 | Kiwoom Heroes | Taipei Dome, Taipei, Taiwan |
| Friendly | February 22 | Cuba |
3–1 | Nicaragua |
Estadio Rigoberto López Pérez, León, Nicaragua |
| 14:00 CST |
| Friendly | February 22 | Australia |
5–0 | All Fuchu | Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| 12:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 22 | Czech Republic |
4–3 | Chiba Lotte Marines (farm) | Miyakonojo City Municipal Baseball Stadium, Miyakonojo, Japan |
| 12:30 JST |
| Friendly | February 22 | Japan |
13–3 | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 23 | Czech Republic |
1–1 | Chiba Lotte Marines (farm) | Miyakonojo City Municipal Baseball Stadium, Miyakonojo, Japan |
| 12:30 JST |
| Friendly | February 23 | Japan |
0–4 | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 14:00 JST |
| Friendly Played in 7 innings |
February 23 | South Korea |
7–4 | Hanwha Eagles | Kadena Baseball Stadium, Kadena, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 24 | Australia |
9–1 | Tokyo Metropolitan Police | Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| 11:30 JST |
| Friendly Played in 7 innings |
February 24 | KIA Tigers | 3–6 | South Korea |
Kadena Baseball Stadium, Kadena, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 24 | Chinese Taipei |
5–3 | Fubon Guardians | Taipei Dome, Taipei, Taiwan |
| Friendly | February 25 | Cuba |
1–6 | Nicaragua |
Estadio Yamil Rios Ugarte, Rivas, Nicaragua |
| 18:00 CST |
| Friendly | February 25 | Australia |
(F/Cancelled due to rain) | GOLD'S GYM JAPAN | Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| 11:30 JST |
| Friendly | February 26 | Australia |
6–6 | 3GoodGroup HOZEN noLimiteds | Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan |
| 11:30 JST |
| Friendly | February 26 | Samsung Lions | 6–16 | South Korea |
Kadena Baseball Stadium, Kadena, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 26 | Czech Republic |
4–18 | Chiba Lotte Marines | Miyakonojo City Municipal Baseball Stadium, Miyakonojo, Japan |
| 12:30 JST |
| Friendly | February 26 | Chinese Taipei |
0–4 | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | Taipei Dome, Taipei, Taiwan |
| 19:00 TST |
| Friendly | February 27 | Japan |
5–3 | Chunichi Dragons | Vantelin Dome Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan |
| 19:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 27 | Chinese Taipei |
1–6 | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | Taipei Dome, Taipei, Taiwan |
| 15:00 TST |
| Friendly | February 27 | Netherlands |
4–5 | Italy |
Terry Park Ballfield, Fort Myers, Florida |
| 13:00 EST | Boxscore |
| Friendly | February 27 | Cuba |
6–0 | Nicaragua |
Estadio Nacional Soberanía, Managua, Nicaragua |
| 18:00 CST |
| Friendly | February 27 | KT Wiz | (F/Cancelled due to rain) | South Korea |
Kadena Baseball Stadium, Kadena, Japan |
| 13:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 28 | Australia |
0–2 | Yokohama DeNA BayStars | Yokohama Stadium, Yokohama, Japan |
| 12:00 JST |
| Friendly | February 28 | Japan |
7–3 | Chunichi Dragons | Vantelin Dome Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan |
| 19:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 2 | Chinese Taipei |
(F/Cancelled due to rain) | Orix Buffaloes (farm) | SOKKEN Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 11:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 2 | Australia |
(F/Cancelled due to rain) | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (farm) | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 11:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 2 | South Korea |
3–3 | Hanshin Tigers | Kyocera Dome Osaka, Osaka, Japan |
| 12:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 2 | Czech Republic |
(F/Cancelled due to rain) | Yomiuri Giants (farm) | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 18:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 2 | Japan |
3–4 | Orix Buffaloes | Kyocera Dome Osaka, Osaka, Japan |
| 19:00 JST | LP: Yusei Kikuchi HR: Masataka Yoshida |
WP: Naruki Teranishi |
| Friendly | March 3 | Chinese Taipei |
5–1 | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (farm) | SOKKEN Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 11:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 3 | Australia |
5–1 | Yomiuri Giants (farm) | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 11:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 3 | South Korea |
8–5 | Orix Buffaloes | Kyocera Dome Osaka, Osaka, Japan |
| 12:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 3 | Czech Republic |
3–8 | Orix Buffaloes (farm) | Sun Marine Stadium, Miyazaki, Japan |
| 18:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 3 | Japan |
5–4 | Hanshin Tigers | Kyocera Dome Osaka, Osaka, Japan |
| 19:00 JST |
| Friendly | March 3 | Brazil |
4–14 (F/7) | Athletics | Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | LP: Bo Takahashi |
Boxscore | WP: Aaron Civale HR: Jeff McNeil, Austin Wynns |
Attendance: 2,273 Umpires: Alex Tosi |
| Friendly | March 3 | Venezuela |
1–3 | Houston Astros | Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Florida |
| 18:05 EST | LP: Amilcar Chirinos |
Boxscore | WP: Sam Carlson HR: Carlos Eduardo Pérez |
Attendance: 4,000 Umpires: Edwin Moscoso |
| Friendly Played over 10 innings |
March 3 | United States |
15–1 | San Francisco Giants | Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | WP: Paul Skenes (1–0) HR: Alex Bregman (1), Roman Anthony (1) |
Boxscore | LP: Adrian Houser (0–1) |
Attendance: 9,720 Umpires: HP – Alfonso Márquez, 1B – Adrian Johnson, 2B – Scott Barry, 3B – Brian Walsh |
| Friendly | March 3 | Italy |
9–4 | Chicago Cubs | Sloan Park, Mesa, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | WP: Ron Marinaccio HR: Owen Ayers, Thomas Saggese, Kyle Teel |
Boxscore | LP: Jeff Brigham HR: James Dansby Swanson |
Attendance: 8,068 Umpires: Nick Mahrley |
| Friendly | March 3 | Great Britain |
7–3 | Milwaukee Brewers | American Family Fields of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona |
| 13:10 MST | WP: Jack Seppings HR: Harry Ford |
Boxscore | LP: Jared Koenig HR: Akil Baddoo, David Hamilton |
Attendance: 2,688 Umpires: Charlie Welling |
| Friendly | March 3 | Cuba |
0–4 | Kansas City Royals | Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | LP: Denny Larrondo |
Boxscore | WP: Ryan Bergert HR: Michael Massey |
Attendance: 3,756 Umpires: Nestor Ceja |
| Friendly | March 3 | Israel |
1–0 | Miami Marlins | Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Florida |
| 13:10 EST | WP: Robert Stock Sv: Daniel Federman |
Boxscore | LP: Calvin Faucher |
Attendance: 2,515 Umpires: Dan Merzel |
| Friendly | March 3 | Nicaragua |
3–6 | New York Mets | Clover Park, Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| 13:10 EST | LP: Angel Obando HR: Freddy Francisco Zamora, Brandon Leyton |
Boxscore | WP: Luis Amado García Sv: Jefry Yan HR: Christopher Antonio Suero |
Attendance: 3,509 Umpires: Hunter Wendelstedt |
| Friendly | March 3 | Colombia |
1–7 | Pittsburgh Pirates | LECOM Park, Bradenton, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | LP: Danis Correa |
Boxscore | WP: José Urquidy |
Attendance: 3,819 Umpires: Will Little |
| Friendly | March 3 | Netherlands |
8–5 | Baltimore Orioles | Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | WP: Ryjeteri Merite Sv: Jacob Cravey HR: Ray-Patrick Didder, Ceddanne Rafaela, Ozzie Albies |
Boxscore | LP: Trevor Rogers HR: Pete Alonso, Jeremiah Jackson |
Attendance: 3,380 Umpires: Chris Segal |
| Friendly | March 3 | Puerto Rico |
5–3 | Boston Red Sox | JetBlue Park, Lee County, Florida |
| 18:05 EST | WP: E. Rodríguez Sv: Yacksel Ríos |
Boxscore | LP: Jake Bennett |
Attendance: 8,620 Umpires: John Libka |
| Friendly | March 3 | Panama |
1–11 (F/8) | New York Yankees | George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | LP: Jorge García |
Boxscore | WP: Max Fried HR: J. C. Escarra |
Attendance: 7,505 Umpires: Roberto Ortiz |
| Friendly | March 3 | Canada |
7–10 | Toronto Blue Jays | TD Ballpark, Dunedin, Florida |
| 13:07 EST | LP: Brock Dykxhoorn HR: Jacob Robson |
Boxscore | WP: Jack Cushing HR: Riley Tirotta |
Attendance: 4,496 Umpires: Brennan Miller |
| Friendly | March 3 | Mexico |
6–3 | Arizona Diamondbacks | Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, Arizona |
| 13:10 MST | WP: Luis Gastelum Sv: Roel Octavio Ramírez HR: Ryan John Tellez, Tadeo Alejandro Osuna |
Boxscore | LP: Juan Diego Morillo |
Attendance: 10,472 Umpires: Rob Drake |
| Friendly | March 3 | Dominican Republic |
12–4 | Detroit Tigers | Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| 19:05 AST | WP: Abner Uribe HR: Junior Caminero, Manny Machado, Juan Soto |
Boxscore | LP: Brant Hurter HR: Kevin McGonigle |
Attendance: 13,186 Umpires: John Libka |
| Friendly | March 4 | Brazil |
2–13 (F/7) | Texas Rangers | Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | LP: Vitor Takahashi HR: Lucas Ramirez, Lucas Rojo |
Boxscore | WP: Kumar Rocker HR: Jake Burger, Cameron Cauley, Josh H. Smith (baseball) 2 |
Attendance: 2,823 Umpires: Charlie Ramos |
| Friendly | March 4 | Venezuela |
1–5 | Washington Nationals | Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Florida |
| 18:05 EST | LP: Eduardo Rodriguez |
Boxscore | WP: Foster Griffin HR: Keibert Ruiz |
Attendance: 2,658 Umpires: Carlos Torres |
| Friendly | March 4 | United States |
14–4 (F/8) | Colorado Rockies | Salt River Fields, Scottsdale, Arizona |
| 13:10 MST | WP: Carson Skipper HR: Alex Bregman, Byron Buxton, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, Will Smith |
Boxscore | LP: Gabriel Hughes HR: Kyle Karros, Mickey Moniak |
Attendance: 11,803 Umpires: Dan Bellino |
| Friendly | March 4 | Mexico |
5–7 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | LP: Luis Miranda |
Boxscore | WP: Jack Dreyer Sv: Ben Casparius HR: Andy Pages |
Attendance: 11,855 Umpires: Stu Scheurwater |
| Friendly | March 4 | Great Britain |
2–2 | San Diego Padres | Peoria Stadium, Peoria, Arizona |
| 13:10 EST | HR: Jazz Chisholm Jr. | Boxscore | Attendance: 2,468 Umpires: Nate Tomlinson |
| Friendly | March 4 | Cuba |
2–19 (F/8) | Cincinnati Reds | Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, Arizona |
| 13:05 MST | LP: Julio Robaina |
Boxscore | WP: Rhett Lowder HR: JJ Bleday, Noelvi Marte, Sal Stewart |
Attendance: 2,826 Umpires: Quinn Wolcott |
| Friendly | March 4 | Italy |
3–4 | Los Angeles Angels | Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Arizona |
| 13:10 MST | LP: Camden Minacci HR: Jon Berti |
Boxscore | WP: Sam Bachman HR: Jeimer Candelario, Jorge Soler |
Attendance: 4,606 Umpires: Bill Miller |
| Friendly | March 4 | Colombia |
1–9 | Atlanta Braves | CoolToday Park, North Port, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | LP: Luis Patiño |
Boxscore | WP: Elieser Hernández HR: Sandy León, Eli White |
Attendance: 3,966 Umpires: Tyler Jones |
| Friendly | March 4 | Israel |
2–5 | New York Mets | Clover Park, Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| 13:10 EST | LP: Jordan Geber HR: Zach Levenson |
Boxscore | WP: Nick Burdi Sv: Saul Garcia HR: Carson Benge |
Attendance: 3,907 Umpires: Ron Kulpa |
| Friendly | March 4 | Canada |
5–3 | Philadelphia Phillies | BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | WP: Rob Zastryzny Sv: Matt Wilkinson |
Boxscore | LP: Jonathan Bowlan HR: Alec Bohm |
Attendance: 5,462 Umpires: Dan Iassogna |
| Friendly | March 4 | Nicaragua |
2–1 | St. Louis Cardinals | Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | WP: J. C. Ramírez Sv: Christian Worley HR: Emanuel Trujillo |
Boxscore | LP: Matthew Liberatore HR: Andy Yerzy |
Attendance: 3,424 Umpires: Emil Jimenez |
| Friendly | March 4 | Netherlands |
11–8 | Tampa Bay Rays | Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | WP: Jamdrick Cornelia Sv: Jacob Kmatz HR: Ceddanne Rafaela |
Boxscore | LP: Jake Woodford |
Attendance: 2,001 Umpires: Ben May |
| Friendly | March 4 | Panama |
1–2 | Detroit Tigers | Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | LP: Abdiel Mendoza |
Boxscore | WP: Jack Flaherty HR: Kerry Carpenter |
Attendance: 3,598 Umpires: Darius Ghani |
| Friendly | March 4 | Puerto Rico |
3–6 | Minnesota Twins | Hammond Stadium, Lee County, Florida |
| 13:05 EST | LP: Raymond Burgos |
Boxscore | WP: Zebby Matthews |
Attendance: 4,608 Umpires: Brian O'Nora |
| Friendly | March 4 | Dominican Republic |
4–4 | Detroit Tigers | Estadio Quisqueya, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| 15:05 AST | HR: Juan Soto | Boxscore | Attendance: 11,500 Umpires: Clint Vondrak |
Pool stage
In each of the four pools, the top two teams qualified for the knockout stage. The teams finishing third and fourth achieved automatic qualification to the next WBC, while the team finishing last would be required to enter the qualifying phase for the next WBC.
The games were played at the dates and locations shown below.[12]
| Tiebreakers |
|---|
The ranking of teams in the group stage is determined as follows:[14]
|
Pool A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada |
4 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 10 | .750[a] | — | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Puerto Rico (H) |
4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 7 | .750[a] | — | |
| 3 | Cuba |
4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 16 | .500 | 1 | |
| 4 | Colombia |
4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 23 | .250[b] | 2 | |
| 5 | Panama |
4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 14 | .250[b] | 2 | Requalification required for next WBC |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 | 12:00 AST | Cuba |
3–1 | Panama |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 2:38 | 10,015 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 19:00 AST | Puerto Rico |
5–0 | Colombia |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 2:55 | 18,793 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 12:00 AST | Colombia |
2–8 | Canada |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 3:08 | 10,293 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 19:00 AST | Panama |
3–4 | Puerto Rico |
10 | Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 3:26 (+0:24 delay) | 18,925 | Boxscore |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 12:00 AST | Colombia |
4–7 | Cuba |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 2:47 | 10,957 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 19:00 AST | Panama |
4–3 | Canada |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 3:08 (+1:25 delay) | 15,649 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 12:00 AST | Colombia |
4–3 | Panama |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 3:15 | 9,790 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 19:00 AST | Cuba |
1–4 | Puerto Rico |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 2:53 (+1:13 delay) | 19,189 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 19:00 AST | Canada |
3–2 | Puerto Rico |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 2:54 (+1:09 delay) | 18,997 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 15:00 AST | Canada |
7–2 | Cuba |
Hiram Bithorn Stadium | 3:09 | 10,610 | Boxscore |
Pool B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy |
4 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 11 | 1.000 | — | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | United States (H) |
4 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 17 | .750 | 1 | |
| 3 | Mexico |
4 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 16 | .500 | 2 | |
| 4 | Great Britain |
4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 25 | .250 | 3 | |
| 5 | Brazil |
4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 47 | .000 | 4 | Requalification required for next WBC |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 | 12:00 CST | Mexico |
8–2 | Great Britain |
Daikin Park | 3:12 | 29,724 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 19:00 CST | United States |
15–5 | Brazil |
Daikin Park | 3:30 | 30,825 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 12:00 CST | Brazil |
0–8 | Italy |
Daikin Park | 2:47 | 29,357 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 19:00 CST | Great Britain |
1–9 | United States |
Daikin Park | 2:57 | 34,368 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 12:00 CDT | Great Britain |
4–7 | Italy |
Daikin Park | 3:06 | 35,141 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 19:00 CDT | Brazil |
0–16 | Mexico |
6 | Daikin Park | 2:24 | 36,380 | Boxscore |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 12:00 CDT | Brazil |
1–8 | Great Britain |
Daikin Park | 2:43 | 34,395 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 19:00 CDT | Mexico |
3–5 | United States |
Daikin Park | 3:04 | 41,628 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 20:00 CDT | Italy |
8–6 | United States |
Daikin Park | 3:08 | 38,653 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 18:00 CDT | Italy |
9–1 | Mexico |
Daikin Park | 3:09 | 39,894 | Boxscore |
Pool C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan (H) |
4 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 9 | 1.000 | — | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | South Korea |
4 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 19 | .500[a] | 2 | |
| 3 | Australia |
4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 | .500[b] | 2 | |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei |
4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 20 | .500[b] | 2 | |
| 5 | Czechia |
4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 39 | .000 | 4 | Requalification required for next WBC |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 2026 | 12:00 JST | Chinese Taipei |
0–3 | Australia |
Tokyo Dome | 2:15 | 40,523 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 5, 2026 | 19:00 JST | Czechia |
4–11 | South Korea |
Tokyo Dome | 2:39 | 19,920 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 12:00 JST | Australia |
5–1 | Czechia |
Tokyo Dome | 2:17 | 21,514 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 19:00 JST | Japan |
13–0 | Chinese Taipei |
7 | Tokyo Dome | 2:36 | 42,314 | Boxscore |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 12:00 JST | Chinese Taipei |
14–0 | Czechia |
7 | Tokyo Dome | 2:20 | 40,522 | Boxscore |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 19:00 JST | South Korea |
6–8 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 3:04 | 42,318 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 12:00 JST | Chinese Taipei |
5–4 | South Korea |
10 | Tokyo Dome | 2:58 | 40,584 | Boxscore |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 19:00 JST | Australia |
3–4 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 2:33 | 42,331 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 19:00 JST | South Korea |
7–2 | Australia |
Tokyo Dome | 3:01 | 32,908 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 19:00 JST | Czechia |
0–9 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 2:36 | 42,340 | Boxscore |
Pool D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dominican Republic |
4 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 10 | 1.000 | — | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Venezuela |
4 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 12 | .750 | 1 | |
| 3 | Israel |
4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 23 | .500 | 2 | |
| 4 | Netherlands |
4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 27 | .250 | 3 | |
| 5 | Nicaragua |
4 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 25 | .000 | 4 | Requalification required for next WBC |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 | 12:00 EST | Netherlands |
2–6 | Venezuela |
LoanDepot Park | 2:54 | 19,542 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 19:00 EST | Nicaragua |
3–12 | Dominican Republic |
LoanDepot Park | 3:20 | 35,127 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 12:00 EST | Nicaragua |
3–4 | Netherlands |
LoanDepot Park | 2:45 | 16,897 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 19:00 EST | Israel |
3–11 | Venezuela |
LoanDepot Park | 2:37 | 22,573 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 12:00 EDT | Netherlands |
1–12 | Dominican Republic |
7 | LoanDepot Park | 2:23 | 32,324 | Boxscore |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 19:00 EDT | Nicaragua |
0–5 | Israel |
LoanDepot Park | 2:45 | 17,972 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 12:00 EDT | Dominican Republic |
10–1 | Israel |
LoanDepot Park | 2:47 | 28,728 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 19:00 EDT | Venezuela |
4–0 | Nicaragua |
LoanDepot Park | 2:27 | 27,844 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 19:00 EDT | Israel |
6–2 | Netherlands |
LoanDepot Park | 2:57 | 13,565 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 20:00 EDT | Dominican Republic |
7–5 | Venezuela |
LoanDepot Park | 3:03 | 36,230 | Boxscore |
Knockout stage
The top two teams from each pool advanced to the single-elimination bracket. Houston hosted two quarterfinal games while Miami hosted the rest of the knockout stage.[12][15]
Bracket
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| March 14 – Miami | ||||||||||
| Venezuela | 8 | |||||||||
| March 16 – Miami | ||||||||||
| Japan | 5 | |||||||||
| Venezuela | 4 | |||||||||
| March 14 – Houston | ||||||||||
| Italy | 2 | |||||||||
| Puerto Rico | 6 | |||||||||
| March 17 – Miami | ||||||||||
| Italy | 8 | |||||||||
| Venezuela | 3 | |||||||||
| March 13 – Houston | ||||||||||
| United States | 2 | |||||||||
| United States | 5 | |||||||||
| March 15 – Miami | ||||||||||
| Canada | 3 | |||||||||
| United States | 2 | |||||||||
| March 13 – Miami | ||||||||||
| Dominican Republic | 1 | |||||||||
| South Korea | 0 | |||||||||
| Dominican Republic (F/7) | 10 | |||||||||
Quarterfinals
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026 | 18:30 EDT | South Korea |
0–10 | Dominican Republic |
7 | LoanDepot Park | 2:17 | 30,805 | Boxscore |
| Mar 13, 2026 | 19:00 CDT | United States |
5–3 | Canada |
Daikin Park | 2:55 | 38,054 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 14, 2026 | 14:00 CDT | Puerto Rico |
6–8 | Italy |
Daikin Park | 3:32 | 34,291 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 14, 2026 | 21:00 EDT | Venezuela |
8–5 | Japan |
LoanDepot Park | 3:07 | 34,548 | Boxscore |
Semifinals
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2026 | 20:00 EDT | United States |
2–1 | Dominican Republic |
LoanDepot Park | 2:55 | 36,337 | Boxscore | |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 20:00 EDT | Venezuela |
4–2 | Italy |
LoanDepot Park | 2:42 | 35,382 | Boxscore |
Final
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP: Andrés Machado (1–0) LP: Garrett Whitlock (0–1) Sv: Daniel Palencia (3) Home runs: VEN: Wilyer Abreu (2) USA: Bryce Harper (1) Attendance: 36,190 Umpires: HP: Dan Bellino, 1B: Cory Blaser, 2B: Jeremie Rehak, 3B: Chris Graham, LF: Delfin Colon, RF: Cuti Suarez Boxscore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Final standings
The final standings were calculated by the WBSC for inclusion in the WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings system.[16]
| Rk | Team | W | L | Tiebreaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Venezuela |
6 | 1 | – |
 |
United States |
5 | 2 | – |
| Lost in semifinals | ||||
 |
Dominican Republic |
5 | 1 | RA/Outs = 0.081 |
| 4 | Italy |
5 | 1 | RA/Outs = 0.129 |
| Lost in quarterfinals | ||||
| 5 | Japan |
4 | 1 | – |
| 6 | Canada |
3 | 2 | Canada defeated Puerto Rico 3–2 |
| 7 | Puerto Rico |
3 | 2 | |
| 8 | South Korea |
2 | 3 | – |
| 3rd place in pool | ||||
| 9 | Australia |
2 | 2 | RA/Outs = 0.114 |
| 10 | Cuba |
2 | 2 | RA/Outs = 0.152 |
| 11 | Mexico |
2 | 2 | RA/Outs = 0.167 |
| 12 | Israel |
2 | 2 | RA/Outs = 0.219 |
| 4th place in pool | ||||
| 13 | Chinese Taipei |
2 | 2 | – |
| 14 | Colombia |
1 | 3 | RA/Outs = 0.225 |
| 15 | Great Britain |
1 | 3 | RA/Outs = 0.245 |
| 16 | Netherlands |
1 | 3 | RA/Outs = 0.276 |
| 5th place in pool | ||||
| 17 | Panama |
1 | 3 | – |
| 18 | Nicaragua |
0 | 4 | RA/Outs = 0.248 |
| 19 | Czech Republic |
0 | 4 | RA/Outs = 0.406 |
| 20 | Brazil |
0 | 4 | RA/Outs = 0.511 |
| 2026 World Baseball Classic champions |
|---|
 Venezuela First title |
Qualification for 2028 Summer Olympics
On February 9, 2026, the WBSC announced that the tournament would serve as the only Olympic qualifier for teams from the Americas. The top two teams would join the hosting United States at the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament. The three remaining qualification spots, for participants from other regions, would be determined at qualification events taking place between November 2027 and March 2028.[5]
| Team | Qualified on | Previous appearances in Summer Olympics |
|---|---|---|
| Dominican Republic | March 13, 2026 | 3 (1984, 1992, 2020) |
| Venezuela | March 14, 2026 | 0 (debut) |
All-tournament team
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Catcher – Austin Wells of the Dominican Republic
Third baseman – Maikel García of Venezuela (also named Most Valuable Player of the tournament)
Outfielder – Fernando Tatís Jr. of the Dominican Republic
Designated Hitter – Shohei Ohtani of Japan
Pitcher – Paul Skenes of the United States
Pitcher – Aaron Nola of Italy
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| C | Austin Wells |
| 1B | Luis Arráez |
| 2B | Brice Turang |
| 3B | Maikel García (MVP) |
| SS | Ezequiel Tovar |
| OF | Roman Anthony |
| Fernando Tatís Jr. | |
| Dante Nori | |
| DH | Shohei Ohtani |
| P | Paul Skenes |
| Logan Webb | |
| Aaron Nola |
Source:[17]
Statistical leaders
Source:[18]
Batting
* Minimum 2.7 plate appearances per team game |
Pitching
* Minimum 0.8 innings pitched per team game |
Notes
- Bryce Harper, Edouard Julien, Kim Ju-won, Victor Mascai, and Park Dong-won
Broadcasting
Sport24 secured the rights for international in-flight and cruise ship travel.[19]
Controversies and storylines
Netflix deal in Japan
In Japan, Netflix acquired the exclusive rights to the tournament for an estimated 15 billion yen.[41] Previously, the World Baseball Classic had been split between free-to-air (FTA) television and the pay television channel J Sports, with Japan's games usually being the only ones broadcast by FTA channels.[42][43][44][41] Netflix subcontracted production of the broadcasts to Nippon Television.[45]
The Netflix agreement faced a mixed reaction among fans and critics, as it marked the first time that Japan's WBC games would not be available on FTA television.[46] Bars raised concerns that they would not be able to stream the tournament at their establishments due to Netflix's terms of service prohibiting commercial use, with some venues electing to do so discreetly in order to evade detection and legal complaints. As another workaround, some karaoke parlors enabled the ability for patrons to sign into the Netflix app in their private booths, so that they could watch the tournament with their friends.[47] Netflix announced that it would offer a one-month subscription for 500 yen (approximately US$3.34) during March as a promotional offer for the tournament, and also organized public viewing parties in collaboration with venues such as Aeon and pub chain The HUB.[48][49][50][47]
Some critics argued that negative reception to the deal was a form of Galápagos syndrome, noting that streaming was more prevalent among younger audiences than traditional television, the fact that non-Japan games would be available on a cheaper, over-the-top platform, and that Netflix was a well-known outlet internationally.[51] Others believed that the lack of WBC coverage on television would reduce fatigue from the excessive media coverage of Shohei Ohtani by Japanese terrestrial networks.[52][53][54][55]
According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, the number of Netflix mobile app downloads grew about five times higher than in March of the prior year.[56]
Free coverage was also available via radio, with Nippon Broadcasting System holding rights to all Japan's games, and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting broadcasting one quarterfinal, one semifinal, and the final, regardless of whether Japan played or not, streaming service Radiko showing both radio stations audios.[57] As part of its subcontract to produce the telecasts, Nippon Television also received the rights to produce a series of specials following the tournament.[45]
Baseball's "Dream Team" and later disappointment
The success of the 2017 and 2023 tournaments resulted in more MLB players interested in playing for their national teams. For the 2026 tournament, the United States had significantly better players, especially pitchers, than previous editions. Some have compared the 2026 United States team to the Avengers or the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, known as the "Dream Team".[58][59][60][61]
But from February, support for the American team started to sour, first, it was announced that American pitcher Tarik Skubal had decided to pitch only a single game before returning to spring training with the Detroit Tigers. A few hours later, that game was announced as a group pool stage game against Great Britain. The decision was met with controversy, with fans calling Skubal a "quitter" and wondering if it would be a better option to pick another pitcher in his place.[62][63][64]
Skubal blamed the calendar, saying, "If this tournament were in the middle of season, like if it was [Olympic] hockey, I'd had no problem playing those games".[65][66]
Later in the tournament, fan scrutiny increased in part due to a statement by Bryce Harper comparing the tournament with the Olympics. This sparked discussion about American players' commitment to a team, which had also been questioned in prior WBC editions.[67][68][69][70]
The peak of debate went after the loss over Italy during group pool play. Prior to the U.S.–Italy game, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa erroneously mentioned in an interview with MLB Network that Team USA had qualified for the quarterfinals, though no spot had been clinched at the time. DeRosa also allowed players to celebrate the early qualification, contributing to a loss against Italy that left the U.S. team's fate in jeopardy.[71][72][73]
The U.S. ended up qualifying for the quarterfinals after Mexico lost to the same Italian team. Following this, a win against Canada and a controversial win over the Dominican Republic guaranteed a spot in the championship game.
After the loss in the final to Venezuela, fans called for DeRosa to step down from the national team, even if he wanted to manage Team USA for the next WBC.[74][75]
Insurance rule debate and Puerto Rico roster issues
Could we participate with 10 horrible (players) for fear that there will be some kind of retaliation? Or does the dignity of Puerto Rico have some kind of value or price?
If players are on Major League Baseball 40-man rosters, they must have an insurance policy that compensates teams (in case a player is injured during the tournament)[i] or else have a written waiver allowing the player to play. The reasons to refuse a player are various, but often related to age, extensive injury history or recent injuries.[77][78] Most of WBC and MLB-related insurances are issued by National Financial Partners, an Aon company.[77][79]
This rule has long been a point of contention for fans, teams, and organizers, because it often affects the performance of teams and makes teams heavily dependent on knowing the eligibility of a player beforehand. For example, in 2023, Clayton Kershaw was not allowed to play for Team USA due to an insurance refusal, but was allowed to play in 2026 because he is now technically classified as a free agent due to his retirement following the 2025 MLB season.[77][80][81]
The rule reached another boiling point in 2026 due to widespread insurance refusal among players, such as Jose Altuve and Miguel Rojas of Venezuela.[82]
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The most notable case in 2026 was with Team Puerto Rico, which suffered from the refusal of several potential players, the most notable being Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa. The impact on the team prompted fans to boycott the tournament, and the federation, alongside the local government, considered withdrawing from the tournament completely due to the insurance issues with the players.[77][83][84] The situation quickly escalated to WBC and MLB leaderships, resulting in an emergency meeting with Puerto Rico on the afternoon of January 31. After the meeting, it was reported that World Baseball Classic Inc. (WBCI), MLB, and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) were negotiating with insurers to change some decisions.[85][86] On February 1, another meeting was held between MLB and Puerto Rican federation. Reports indicated that the Puerto Rican federation and local businesspeople were working to secure backup insurance in case the original insurance re-refused the players, but the three players asked by Puerto Rico were unable to be selected due to the insurance rules.[87][76]
The president of WBSC Americas and Venezuelan Baseball Federation, Aracelis León, also voiced her displeasure at the insurance issues on February 1, asking WBCI and MLBPA to fix the situation.[88] Lindor was ruled out for the Classic on February 11, due to having surgery on his hand for a hamate bone injury.[89]
Visa denials for Cuban staff
The Baseball Federation of Cuba announced on February 25, 2026, that American officials had denied visas to eight members of its traveling party, including the organization's president and general secretary due to the ongoing 2026 Cuban crisis. The visa denials were tied to the tightening of immigration policies, which currently require specialized licensing for Cuban team officials to enter the U.S. All Cuban players and coaches were cleared to enter the country due to visa exemptions for athletes and coaches participating in big sporting tournaments, Olympic qualifiers, and events supported by Major League Baseball.[90][91]
Non-usage of ABS
As was the case in recent WBCs, the 2026 tournament uses the regular season MLB rules of the prior year's season. This meant that the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) challenge rules would not be in play for the 2026 WBC.[92][93]
Following the opening game of the tournament between Chinese Taipei and Australia, umpire Omar Peralta was heavily criticized by Taiwanese fans and media for missing key calls, leading Taiwanese media to describe his strike-zone as an "amoeba". Chinese Taipei ended up losing 0–3 against Australia, in one of the most critical games of Pool C, which caused the controversy to deepen and raised calls for an early adoption of ABS.[94][95][96][97]
On March 4, 2026, Ronald Acuña Jr. mistakenly tried to use the ABS challenge system, in Venezuela's pre-tournament exhibition game against the Houston Astros.[98]
On March 15, 2026, the Dominican Republic lost to the United States in the semifinal on a controversial strike during a full count where had it been reviewed and called correctly, would have allowed Geraldo Perdomo to walk as it was a ball. This led to further calls to implement ABS during the tournament.[99]
Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai's visit
In March 2026, Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai made a personal trip to Tokyo to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking the first time the Taiwanese Premier visited Japan since diplomatic relations were severed in 1972. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the visit as having "evil designs" and warned "Japan's indulgence in provocation ... will inevitably come at a cost". The Japanese government defended the trip as a personal affair, while Cho said he paid for the trip himself.[100] Cho claimed that his out-of-pocket expenses included purchasing WBC tickets from Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Since tickets for Taiwan's matches had sold out early, this further triggered controversy regarding the CPBL's potential involvement in the illegal resale of tickets.[101][102]
Notes
- Colombia games only
- Colombia games only
- all Japan games
- one quarterfinal, one semifinal, and the final
- except Mexico
- Official broadcasters; for CHT MOD and OTT (ELTA.tv and Hami Video)
- Terrestrial and cable TV broadcast only
- 2 years for position players, 4 years for pitchers