World Baseball Softball Confederation

Last updated

World Baseball Softball Confederation
AbbreviationWBSC
Founded14 April 2013;10 years ago (2013-04-14)
Type Sports federation
Legal statusGoverning body of baseball, softball and Baseball5
Purpose World governing body
Headquarters Pully, Switzerland
Location
  • Av. du Général Guisan 45
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
141 national federations; 7 professional league "associate members"
Official language
English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
President
Riccardo Fraccari
Main organ
Congress
Subsidiaries
Affiliations International Olympic Committee, ARISF, GAISF
Website WBSC.org

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.

Contents

The WBSC has 208 National Federation members in 141 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. Professional baseball organizations as well as youth organizations are also included and form an arm of the WBSC as associate members. Headquartered in Pully, Switzerland, the WBSC was granted recognition as the sole competent global authority for both the sports of baseball and softball by the International Olympic Committee in 2013.

As the recognised governing body of baseball, softball, and Baseball5, the WBSC is charged with overseeing all international competitions. It holds the exclusive rights of all competitions, tournaments and world championships featuring national teams, including the Olympic Games, and WBSC-associated federations hold the right to organize and select national teams [1]

Discussions to merge the two separate world governing bodies for the sports of baseball and softball were sparked by a Memorandum of Understanding that saw baseball and softball leaders agree to form a joint bid to be added to the 2020 Olympic Games sports program. [2] [3] Baseball and softball were dropped from the 2012 Summer Olympic program and were scheduled to be reinstated for the 2020 Olympics, but the 2020 Olympics were delayed due to the COVID-19 international pandemic. In August 2021, the International Olympic Committee announced that baseball and softball would not be part of the 2024 Paris Olympics. [4] Baseball5 is still set to feature in the 2026 Youth Olympics.

History

Flag of the WBSC WBSC flag.svg
Flag of the WBSC

Following its exclusion of baseball and softball from the Summer Olympics in 2005, [5] the IOC reclassified baseball and softball as two disciplines of the same sport. [6] As the IOC's guidance indicated the necessity for baseball and softball to be jointly considered for reinstatement in the Olympic programme, the two independent International Federations set out on a path toward a full and complete merger.

In 2012, the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the International Softball Federation (ISF) laid out the essential ground rules for partnership and began working on a constitution that would guide the merger and provide a framework for governance, ethics and operations. At a historic IBAF Congress in Tokyo in April 2013, the Constitution was ratified and since it had already been approved by an ISF working group empowered to do so, the WBSC was officially formalized and empowered.[ citation needed ]

The creation of a single federation allowed for the permanent alignment, merger and management of baseball and softball at the world level. [7] The merger resulted in an immediate boost to the governance, universality and gender equality of baseball and softball, criteria for an Olympic sport that are heavily valued by the IOC.[ citation needed ]

At the first-ever World Baseball Softball Congress—in Hammamet, Tunisia—Italy's Fraccari was elected to a seven-year term as the first president of WBSC, along with a fully elected Executive Board. [8]

Creation of Baseball5

B5 batter hitting the ball into field. Cuba Baseball5 game.jpg
B5 batter hitting the ball into field.

In 2017, [9] the WBSC introduced a third discipline to be played at an international level, Baseball5 (B5), which is a five-on-five, five-inning game designed to be played with only a rubber ball on a small field. It is targeted at underserved communities, [10] as well as offering a low-cost and fast-paced entry point to baseball and softball in new places around the world. [11] The WBSC introduced it to aid its ultimate goal of having a billion-strong baseball-softball community by 2030. [12] A major difference between B5 and baseball/softball is that the game is played without a pitcher, with the batter starting each play with the ball. [13] It was inspired by various Latin American street games, such as "cuatro esquinas" (four corners) in Cuba, [14] and has been played in some international tournaments in the Americas and Europe, [15] [11] [16] as well as having been implemented in some schools in various countries. [17] [18] It is due to feature in the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, [19] and has two World Cups for youth and senior players alternating each year starting in 2022, with both of these international events being played in a mixed-gender format. [20] The WBSC is also planning to, as part of its general push into E-Sports, introduce a video game version of Baseball5 in the near future. [21]

Organizational structure

The WBSC is governed by the executive board, which consists of fourteen members: president, secretary general, two vice presidents, baseball executive vice president, softball executive vice president, treasurer, four members at large, athlete representative for baseball, athlete representative for softball, and global ambassador. [22]

The Baseball Division is governed by an executive committee, which has thirteen members: president, secretary general, 2nd vice president, 3rd vice president, treasurer, three members at large, four continental vice presidents (one each for Africa, Americas, Europe, and Oceania), and executive director.[ citation needed ]

The Softball Division is governed by an executive committee that has twenty-three members: president, secretary general, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, treasurer, twelve vice presidents (two each for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania, and one each for North America and English-speaking Caribbean), two at-large members, two athlete representatives, immediate past president, and executive director.[ citation needed ]

The WBSC has four departments: media, finance, tournaments, and marketing. It also has several commissions.[ citation needed ]

Members

IBAF Members.png

Besides its worldwide institutions, there are five regional governing bodies that oversee the game in the different continents and regions of the world.

TeamRegionLeague
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Americas AA
AABC
ABO
BRL
PONY
Flag of France.svg  France Europe AFBS
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Europe AIBxC
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan Asia CPBL
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic Americas LIDOM
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Asia KBO
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Americas LMB
LMP
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Asia NPB
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Americas LBPRC
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela Americas LVBP

In total, WBSC recognizes 198 national associations, with 132 national baseball teams as well as 122 women's national teams. [23]

Unlike the ICC, the WBSC identifies associate members as those who particularly endorse international baseball and softball with their own leagues in partnership with the WBSC. These leagues support baseball and softball to the extent that they are major sports in their respective countries. The table to the right has all leagues along with the country hosted: [24]

Presidents

NoNameCountryOrg.Took officeLeft office
1 Leslie Mann Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United StatesIBF 1938 1939
2 Jaime Mariné Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba 1940 1943
3 Jorge Reyes Flag of Mexico.svg MexicoFIBA 1944 1945
4 Pablo Morales Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 1946 1947
5 Chale Pereira Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua 1948 1950
Pablo Morales Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 1951 1952
6 Carlos Manuel Zecca Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica 1953 1968
7 Juan Isa Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg Netherlands Antilles 1969 1975
William Fehring Flag of the United States.svg United StatesFEMBA [lower-alpha 1] 1973 1974
Carlos García Solórzano Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua 1975
8 Manuel González Guerra Flag of Cuba.svg CubaAINBA 1976 1979
Carlos García Solórzano [lower-alpha 2] Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua 1980 1981
9 Robert Smith Flag of the United States.svg United StatesIBAF 1981 1993
10 Aldo Notari Flag of Italy.svg Italy 1993 2006
11 Harvey Schiller Flag of the United States.svg United States 2007 2009
12 Riccardo Fraccari Flag of Italy.svg Italy 2009 Incumbent
WBSC

[25] [lower-alpha 3]

WBSC competitions

Current title holders

CompetitionYearHost countryChampionsTitleRunners-upNext editionDates
Baseball
World Baseball Classic 2023 United StatesFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 3rdFlag of the United States.svg  United States 2026 Qualification:
TBD
Finals:
TBD
WBSC Premier12 2019 JapanFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 1stFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 2024
Olympic baseball tournament 2020 JapanFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 1stFlag of the United States.svg  United States 2028 July–August 2028
U-23 Baseball World Cup 2022 TaiwanFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 2ndFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 2024 6–15 September 2024
U-18 Baseball World Cup 2023 United StatesFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 1stFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei
U-15 Baseball World Cup 2022 MexicoFlag of the United States.svg  United States 7thFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 2024 26 August – 4 September 2022
U-12 Baseball World Cup 2023 TaiwanFlag of the United States.svg  United States 5thFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2025
Women's Baseball World Cup 2018 United StatesFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 6thFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2024 8 August 2023
Softball
Men's Softball World Cup 2022 New ZealandFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2ndFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2025 12 June – 21 September 2024 (group stage)
8–13 July 2025 (finals)
U-23 Men's Softball World Cup 2023 ArgentinaFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1stFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 2026
U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2023 MexicoFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 4thFlag of Mexico.svg  Mexico TBD
Women's Softball World Cup 2022 United StatesFlag of the United States.svg  United States 12thFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 2024 11–26 July 2023 (group stage)
15-21 July 2024 (finals)
U-18 Women's Softball World Cup 2021 United StatesFlag of the United States.svg  United States 8thFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2025 2024 (group stage)
2025 (finals)
U-15 Women's Softball World Cup 2023 JapanFlag of the United States.svg  United States 1stFlag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico TBD
U-12 Softball World Cup 2021 TaiwanFlag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2ndFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 2025
Olympic softball tournament 2020 JapanFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 1stFlag of the United States.svg  United States 2028 July–August 2028
Baseball5
Baseball5 World Cup 2022 MexicoFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1stFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 2024
Youth Baseball5 World Cup 2023 Mexico Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba 1st Flag of France.svg France TBD
Youth Olympic Games
First edition will be held in 2026
2026

WBSC World Rankings

Baseball5 (Coed)

Top 20 Rankings as of 16 November 2023 [34]
RankChangeTeamPoints
1Increase2.svg 1Flag of France.svg  France 3037
2Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 2775
3Steady2.svgFlag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 2393
4Steady2.svgFlag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 1995
5Increase2.svg 5Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 1892
6Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1639
7Decrease2.svg 1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 1593
8Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 1560
9Decrease2.svg 1Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1442
10Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1219
11Increase2.svg 5Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1194
12Increase2.svg 7Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1179
13Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1144
14Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 1046
15Decrease2.svg 2Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1030
16Increase2.svg 7Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 952
17Increase2.svg 3Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 905
17Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 905
19Increase2.svg 2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 885
20Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 842
*New Rankings

See also

Notes

  1. The status of FEMBA, which broke away from FIBA from 1973 to 1975, is disputed.
  2. Elected but did not take office due to the Nicaraguan Revolution. Robert Smith filled the role in an interim capacity.
  3. Dates according to the WBSC. Other sources, including sports researcher Stephan Müller, offer slightly different dates. [26]

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