2026 World Baseball Classic qualification

Last updated
World Baseball Classic 2025 Qualifiers
Tournament details
CountriesFlag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
DatesFebruary 21 – March 6, 2025 [1]
Teams8 (from 4 confederations)
←  2023

The qualifying round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, officially called the World Baseball Classic 2025 Qualifiers, was held from February 21 to March 6, 2025. The top four teams in each pool of the 2023 World Baseball Classic automatically qualified for the 2026 tournament. The qualifiers consisted of two tournaments with four teams each, and was held in Taipei, Taiwan, and Tucson, United States of America. Two teams of each tournament qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. [1]

Contents

Qualified teams

Note: World ranking indicates positions in the latest WBSC World Rankings (December 31, 2024) at the time of the announcement of the qualifiers. [2]

TeamWorld rankingMethod of qualificationClassic appearancePrevious best position
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 12th 2023 World Baseball Classic pool stage top four6thQuarterfinals (2023)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 22nd6thPool stage
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 10th6thRunners-up (2006)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 15th2ndPool stage
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 11th6thChampions (2013)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 18th2ndPool stage
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 19th3rdQuarterfinals (2017)
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 14th6thQuarterfinals (2013, 2023)
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1st6thChampions (2006, 2009, 2023)
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 4th6thThird place (2023)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7th6thFourth place (2013, 2017)
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 8th4thPool stage
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 9th6thRunners-up (2013, 2017)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 6th6thRunners-up (2009)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 5th6thChampions (2017)
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 3rd6thFourth place (2009)
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 16th Pool A winner2ndPool stage
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2nd Pool A second-place playoff winner6thQuarterfinals (2013)
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 13th Pool B winner3rdPool stage
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 23rd Pool B second-place playoff winner2ndPool stage

Players

Venues

Qualifier 1Qualifier 2
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taipei, Taiwan Flag of the United States.svg Tucson, U.S.
Taipei Dome Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 11,000
Interior of Taipei Dome 20231118 01.jpg Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium Seating.jpg

Pools composition

Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate positions in the latest WBSC World Rankings (December 31, 2024) at the time of the announcement of the qualifiers. [2]

Pool APool B
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei (2) (hosts)Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia (13)
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua (16)Flag of Germany.svg  Germany (17)
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain (24)Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China (20)
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa (31)Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil (23)

The format consisted of two rounds. The first round was a round-robin, with the teams playing each other once. After the six games from each group, the first-placed team qualified for the final tournament, while the second and third-placed teams play in a seventh game where the winner also qualified. [1]

Pool A

Pool A took place at the Taipei Dome in Taipei, Taiwan, from February 21–25, 2025.

PosTeamPldWLRFRAPCTGBQualification
1Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 3301021.000— Final tournament
2Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei (H)4222022.500 [a] 1.5
3Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4222514.500 [a] 1.5
4Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 303320.0003
Source: MLB
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Chinese Taipei defeated Spain in the second-place playoff, 6–3.

Opening round

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
February 21, 202512:00 South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg1–2Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 10 Taipei Dome 2:3014,925 Boxscore
February 21, 202519:00 Spain  Flag of Spain.svg12–5Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei   Taipei Dome 3:1335,325 Boxscore
February 22, 202512:00 Spain  Flag of Spain.svg1–2Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 10 Taipei Dome 2:5815,015 Boxscore
February 22, 202519:00 Chinese Taipei  Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg9–1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa   Taipei Dome 3:0535,868 Boxscore
February 23, 202512:00 South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg1–9Flag of Spain.svg  Spain   Taipei Dome 2:2015,385 Boxscore
February 23, 202519:00 Nicaragua  Flag of Nicaragua.svg6–0Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei   Taipei Dome 3:0135,565 Boxscore

Second-place playoff

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
February 25, 202519:00 Chinese Taipei  Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg6–3Flag of Spain.svg  Spain   Taipei Dome 2:5835,768 Boxscore

Pool B

The videoboard at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium before the game between Germany and Colombia Community ties at the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifier (250304-F-DX569-1027).jpg
The videoboard at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium before the game between Germany and Colombia

Pool B took place at the Kino Sports Complex's Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Arizona, United States, on March 2–6, 2025.

PosTeamPldWLRFRAPCTGBQualification
1Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 3302311.000— Final tournament
2Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 4312718.750 [a] 0.5
3Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 4132327.250 [a] 2.5
4Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 303532.0003
Source: MLB
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Brazil defeated Germany in the second-place playoff, 6–4.

Opening round

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
March 2, 202511:00 China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg2–12Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 7 Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:281,549 Boxscore
March 2, 202518:00 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svg0–5Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia   Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:232,332 Boxscore
March 3, 202511:00 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svg9–7Flag of Germany.svg  Germany   Veterans Memorial Stadium 3:052,193 Boxscore
March 3, 202518:00 Colombia  Flag of Colombia.svg8–1Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China   Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:391,259 Boxscore
March 4, 202511:00 China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg2–12Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 7 Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:303,566 Boxscore
March 4, 202518:00 Germany  Flag of Germany.svg0–10Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 7 Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:072,137 Boxscore

Second-place playoff

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
March 6, 202518:00 Germany  Flag of Germany.svg4–6Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil   Veterans Memorial Stadium 2:232,247 Boxscore

Statistical leaders

[3]

Batting leaders
StatisticNameTotal/Avg
Batting average* Flag of Colombia.svg Dilson Herrera .583
Hits Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Po-Hsuan Wang 8
Runs Flag of Brazil.svg Dante Bichette Jr. 5
Runs batted in Flag of Spain.svg Rusber Estrada
Flag of Colombia.svg Jesús Marriaga 		7
On-base percentage* Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Po-Hsuan Wang .632
Slugging percentage* Flag of Colombia.svg Jesús Marriaga 1.000
OPS* Flag of Colombia.svg Jesús Marriaga 1.538

* Minimum 2.7 plate appearances per team game

Pitching leaders
StatisticNameTotal/Avg
ERA* Flag of Colombia.svg Adrián Almedia
Flag of Spain.svg Yeudy García
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Jesús Garrido
Flag of Spain.svg Pablo Guillén
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Dancaireng Hua
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Dilmer Mejía
Flag of Colombia.svg Julio Teherán
Flag of South Africa.svg Dylan Unsworth 		0.00
Innings pitched Flag of Spain.svg Yeudy García 7.0
Strikeouts Flag of Spain.svg Ramón Rosso 9

* Minimum 0.8 innings pitched per team game

Awards

While no official awards were given, MLB.com named 10 standout players from the qualifiers. [4]

NamePositionNotes
Flag of Brazil.svg Leonardo Reginatto 3B5-for-13 with three doubles and four RBIs
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Brandon Leytón IF6-for-13 with two doubles, a homer, and two RBIs.
Flag of Colombia.svg Jesús Marriaga OF.500/.538/1.000 line with a home run, double, triple, and seven RBIs
Flag of Spain.svg Rusber Estrada CTwo home runs and seven RBIs
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Ronald Medrano SPFive IP and eight strikeouts
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Yu Chang SS7-for-18 with four doubles and a home run
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Jo-Hsi Hsu RPFive strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of work
Flag of Colombia.svg Julio Teherán SPNo hits in first five innings
Flag of Colombia.svg Brayan Buelvas OF5-for-11 with a double, triple, four RBIs and a stolen base
Flag of Germany.svg Simon Baumgardt 2BSix hits, three walks, two RBIs and a stolen base

Broadcast

On February 3, alongside the first pool roster reveals, it was announced that the 2025 WBC qualifiers would be shown on the WBC YouTube channel, WBC Facebook page, MLB.tv and WBC website (WorldBaseballClassic.com). [5] MLB Network will also broadcast select games for all its covered areas (including US). [6]

Like the 2022 qualifiers, qualifiers and already qualified teams also have broadcast partners locally, as follows:

TerritoryRights holder(s)Ref.
Brazil
 [7]
China
 [7]
Colombia
 [7]
Germany Sportdigital [8]
Latin America (excluding Brazil)
 [7]
PanamaCOS Panamá [7]
South Korea SpoTV [7]
Sub-Saharan Africa ESPN Africa [c] [7]
Taiwan
 [9] [10]
United States
 [11]

Notes

  1. ↑ Brazil games only
  2. 1 2 Colombia games only
  3. ↑ South Africa games only
  4. ↑ Cable broadcast only; not applied to EBC News YouTube livestream

References

  1. 1 2 3 "World Baseball Classic Qualifiers announced". MLB.com. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 "WBSC/KONAMI World Rankings". WBSC.org . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Stat leaders". Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  4. ↑ Clair, Michael (11 March 2025). "10 standouts from the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers" . Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  5. ↑ "Everything to know about World Baseball Classic Qualifiers starting Feb. 21". MLB.com. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  6. ↑ "MLB Network TV Schedule". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 2025-02-24. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Where to Watch the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 2025-02-23. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
  8. ↑ Scheel, Marco. "Sportdigital1+ | TV-Programm". Sportdigital1+ | TV-Programm (in German). Archived from the original on 2025-03-03. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  9. ↑ "經典賽資格賽懶人包》臺北大巨蛋主場迎戰3外隊力拚晉級 賽程、轉播、名單、票價一次帶你看". Yahoo Sports Taiwan (in Chinese). 2025-02-03. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  10. ↑ "2025經典賽資格賽賽程、參賽隊伍、票價、轉播資訊總整理 - 棒球". 運動視界 Sports Vision (in Chinese). 2025-01-25. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
  11. ↑ "FOX Sports Live Event and Studio Programming Schedule". Fox Sports Press Pass. Archived from the original on 2025-03-03. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
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