2026 World Baseball Classic qualification

Last updated • 1 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
2026 World Baseball Classic qualifiers
Tournament details
CountriesTaiwan
United States
DatesFebruary 21 – March 6, 2025 [1]
Teams8 (from 4 confederations)
  2023

The qualifying round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic will be 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 will consist of two tournaments with four teams each, and will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, and Tucson, Arizona, United States. The winners and runners-up of each tournament will qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. [1]

Contents

Qualified teams

Note: World ranking indicates positions in the latest WBSC World Rankings (September 18, 2024) at the time of the announcement of the qualifiers. [2]

TeamWorld rankingMethod of qualificationClassic appearancePrevious best position
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 15th 2023 World Baseball Classic pool stage top four6thQuarterfinals (2023)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 22nd6thPool stage
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 9th6thRunners-up (2006)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 14th2ndPool stage
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 12th6thChampions (2013)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 18th2ndPool stage
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 19th3rdQuarterfinals (2017)
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 13th6thQuarterfinals (2013, 2023)
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1st6thChampions (2006, 2009, 2023)
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 2nd6thThird place (2023)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7th6thFourth place (2013, 2017)
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 10th4thPool stage
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 8th6thRunners-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 4th6thFourth place (2009)

Venues

Qualifier 1Qualifier 2
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taipei, Taiwan Flag of the United States.svg Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
Taipei Dome Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium
Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 11,500
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 (September 18, 2024) at the time of the announcement of the qualifiers. [2]

Pool APool B
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei (3) (hosts)Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia (11)
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua (16)Flag of Germany.svg  Germany (17)
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain (23)Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China (20)
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa (30)Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil (24)

The format will consist of two rounds. The first round will be a round-robin, with the teams playing each other once. After the six games from each group, the first-placed team will qualify for the final tournament, while the second and third-placed teams will play in a seventh game for the last spot from each qualifier. [1]

Taipei

The pool will take place in Taipei, Taiwan, on February 21–25, 2025.

Opening round

PosTeamPldWLRFRAPCTGBQualification
1Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei (H)00000 Final tournament
2Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 00000 Game 7
3Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 00000
4Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 00000
First game(s) will be played: February 21, 2025. Source: MLB
(H) Hosts
DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
February 2112:00 South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svgFlag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua   Taipei Dome    Boxscore
February 2119:00 Spain  Flag of Spain.svgFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei   Taipei Dome    Boxscore
February 2212:00 Spain  Flag of Spain.svgFlag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua   Taipei Dome    Boxscore
February 2219:00 Chinese Taipei  Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svgFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa   Taipei Dome    Boxscore
February 2312:00 South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svgFlag of Spain.svg  Spain   Taipei Dome    Boxscore
February 2319:00 Nicaragua  Flag of Nicaragua.svgFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei   Taipei Dome    Boxscore

Game 7

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
February 2519:00Opening round 3rd placeOpening round 2nd place  Taipei Dome    

Tucson

The pool will take place in Tucson, Arizona, United States, on March 2–6, 2025.

Opening round

PosTeamPldWLRFRAPCTGBQualification
1Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 00000 Final tournament
2Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 00000 Game 7
3Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 00000
4Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 00000
First game(s) will be played: March 2, 2025. Source: MLB
DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
March 211:00 China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svgFlag of Germany.svg  Germany   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore
March 218:00 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svgFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore
March 311:00 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svgFlag of Germany.svg  Germany   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore
March 318:00 Colombia  Flag of Colombia.svgFlag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore
March 411:00 China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svgFlag of Brazil.svg  Brazil   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore
March 418:00 Germany  Flag of Germany.svgFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia   Veterans Memorial Stadium    Boxscore

Game 7

DateLocal timeRoad teamScoreHome teamInn.VenueGame durationAttendanceBoxscore
March 618:00Opening round 3rd placeOpening round 2nd place  Veterans Memorial Stadium    

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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.