The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) is the former worldwide governing body of baseball. It has since been superseded by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), and continues to exist as the WBSC's baseball division.
The Italy national baseball team represents Italy in international baseball competitions. The Italian national team was ranked 16th in the world as of 2022. The team is managed by Mike Piazza, a former New York Mets player and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.
Softball in Ireland is governed by Softball Ireland, itself a member of the International Softball Federation. As of 2021, the Softball Ireland website noted that there were approximately 800 softball players and 40 teams in the country.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation Europe, known as WBSC Europe, was established on February 10, 2018, during a Congress of the Confederation of European Baseball and the European Softball Federation in Val d’Europe, France. the establishment of WBSC Europe followed the historic merger of the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB) and the European Softball Federation (ESF). As of September 2022, WBSC Europe counts 40 members for baseball and 39 for softball.
The European Softball Federation, was the governing body of softball within Europe from 1976 until 2018, when it merged with the Confederation of European Baseball into WBSC Europe.
The Great Britain national baseball team is the national men's baseball team of the United Kingdom. It is governed by the British Baseball Federation, and is also a member nation of the Confederation of European Baseball.
The Israel National Baseball Team represents Israel in international competitions. It is managed by Ian Kinsler.
The European Softball Junior Girls Championship (U-18) is the main championship tournament between national junior girls softball teams in Europe, governed by the European Softball Federation.
The European Softball Junior Boys Championship (U-18) is the main championship tournament between national junior boys softball teams in Europe, governed by the European Softball Federation.
The ESF Co-Ed Slowpitch European Super Cup (CSPESC) is a club championship tournament between national club champions for co-ed Slowpitch Softball teams in Europe, governed by the European Softball Federation.
World Baseball Softball Confederation is the world governing body for the sports of baseball, softball, and Baseball5. It was established in 2013 by the merger of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and International Softball Federation (ISF), the former world governing bodies for baseball and softball, respectively. Under WBSC's organizational structure, IBAF and ISF now serve as the Baseball Division and Softball Division of WBSC. Each division is governed by an executive committee, while the WBSC is governed by an executive board.
The WBSC Premier12 is the international baseball tournament organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), featuring the 12 highest-ranked national baseball teams in the world. The first tournament was held by Taiwan and Japan in November 2015. The second tournament, 2019 WBSC Premier12, was held in November 2019, and served as a qualifier for two teams for baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Six national teams qualified to compete in baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. As host, Japan automatically qualified. Israel also qualified, by winning the Africa/Europe Qualifying Event in September 2019.
Six teams qualified for the Olympic softball tournament, including Japan, which, as host nation, qualified automatically. The United States team won the 2018 Women's Softball World Championship to qualify for the Olympics. The remaining four spots were allocated through three qualification tournaments: one spot for a Europe/Africa tournament, one spot for an Asia/Oceania tournament, and two spots for an Americas tournament.
Baseball5 (B5) is an internationally played safe haven game with many of the same rules as baseball and softball, which is governed alongside those sports by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
The Women’s European Baseball Championship (WEBC) is the main championship tournament between national women’s baseball teams in Europe, governed by the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB).
The Baseball5 European Championship is the main championship tournament between national Baseball5 teams in Europe, governed by the WBSC Europe. The tournament serves as qualifier for the Baseball5 World Cup, with the top two teams qualifying for the world championship. France and Lithuania are the most successful teams, having won the championship once.
SKSB Arrows Ostrava, z.s., or simply Arrows Ostrava, is a baseball team from Ostrava, Czech Republic. The team plays in the Czech Extraliga and have won the league title three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
The 2022 WBSC Men's Softball World Championship was the 17th Men's Softball World Championship, an international softball tournament taking place in Auckland, New Zealand from 26 November to 4 December 2022. Originally scheduled for February 2021, the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand last hosted the tournament in 2013. It will be the 17th edition of the tournament.
The WBSC Coed Slow Pitch World Cup is a mixed (coed) slow pitch softball tournament for national teams sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
