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 It has since been superseded by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), and continues to exist as the WBSC's baseball division. Between 1944 and 1975, it was known by its Spanish-language name, as the Federación Internacional de Béisbol Amateur, or FIBA.
The Baseball World Cup (BWC) was an international baseball tournament for national teams around the world, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). First held in 1938 as the Amateur World Series (AWS), it was, for most of its history, the highest level of international baseball competition in the world. Even after it was supplanted in this regard in 2006 by the modern World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Baseball World Cup was still considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship, along with the WBC and the Summer Olympic Games.
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 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.
Denmark Men's National Softball Team has been competing internationally since 1985. The team's best result is winning the 2010 European Championship in Havlíčkův Brod in the Czech Republic.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) 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). Under the WBSC's organizational structure, the IBAF and ISF now serve as the confederation's baseball and softball divisions, respectively. Each division is governed by an executive committee, while the WBSC is governed by an executive board.
The 2016 Women's Softball World Championship was an international softball competition to be held in Surrey, British Columbia between July 15 and July 24, 2016. It was the 15th edition of the tournament, and the second edition to be sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). Previous editions were sanctioned by the International Softball Federation, which governed the sport until its 2013 merger with the International Baseball Federation to create the WBSC. It was announced on March 17, 2016, that the field for the tournament would be expanded from 16 to 31.
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 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.
The Super 6 Baseball and Softball is a tournament between national baseball teams in Europe, governed by the Confederation of European Baseball (CEB), the European Softball Federation (ESF) and the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). It was held for the first and only time from September 18 to 23, 2018 in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. It was organized by the Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB), the City of Hoofddorp and the local baseball club Hoofddorp Pioniers. It was featured by the top 6 nations of the 2016 European Championship and ESF Women's Championship.
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.
The Baseball5 World Cup is a mixed-gender Baseball5 (B5) world championship that occurs every two years, with the first edition held in 2022 in Mexico and contested by 12 countries. It is governed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
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.
