2026 World Baseball Classic

The World Baseball Classic is much more than just a tournament; it's a quadrennial celebration of baseball's global reach, bringing together top professional players to represent their home countries with fierce national pride. As the sixth iteration, the 2026 Classic promises an electrifying spectacle across four host nations, from the Americas to Asia. Prepare for dramatic upsets, heroic moments, and the crowning of a new, or returning, world champion. The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be hosted across four vibrant international cities, culminating in the championship in Miami. Qualification for the tournament involves both automatic bids for strong past performers and intense preliminary rounds for aspiring nations. Japan enters the tournament as the defending champion, aiming for an unprecedented fourth title amidst a field of formidable contenders.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be hosted across four vibrant international cities, culminating in the championship in Miami.
Qualification for the tournament involves both automatic bids for strong past performers and intense preliminary rounds for aspiring nations.
Japan enters the tournament as the defending champion, aiming for an unprecedented fourth title amidst a field of formidable contenders.

The Ultimate Global Showdown

Get ready for the pinnacle of international baseball — the 2026 World Baseball Classic! This highly anticipated tournament, the sixth of its kind, brings together the world's best professional players to compete for national glory. It's where rivalries ignite and legends are made, all on a global stage.

Host Cities Revealed

The journey to the championship will unfold across four dynamic host locations, showcasing baseball's widespread appeal. Pool play will energize fans in Miami, Houston, San Juan, and Tokyo, setting the stage for the intense knockout rounds.

As the tournament progresses, the stakes get even higher. Quarterfinal matchups will be split between Houston and Miami, building suspense. Ultimately, the quest for the ultimate title will culminate in the championship final, held in the vibrant city of Miami, Florida.

Defending Champions and Rising Stakes

All eyes will be on Japan, who enter the 2026 Classic as the reigning champions after their thrilling victory over the United States in 2023. Their dominance in the tournament's history makes them a formidable target for every other nation.

The journey to the Classic is not without its challenges and heartbreaks. For instance, in 2023, China, a regular participant, failed to qualify for the main tournament for the very first time. This highlights the ever-increasing competitiveness and global growth of baseball.

The Road to the Classic

Securing a spot in the World Baseball Classic is a two-part process. Sixteen teams earned automatic qualification for 2026 by placing in the top four of their pools in the thrilling 2023 tournament. This reward for strong performance ensures continuity for many of the sport's powerhouses.

However, for other aspiring nations, the path runs through the intense qualification tournaments. Four additional participants will battle it out in these preliminary rounds, proving their mettle and vying for a chance to compete on the grandest stage.

Qualification Tournaments Unveiled

The 2025 qualification rounds promise intense action. Initially, there were discussions about Colombia potentially hosting — a significant step for baseball in the region. Though that plan shifted, the global excitement for these qualifiers remains palpable.

For 2026, the qualification field has been tightened, with 8 teams competing across two pools, a reduction from the 12 teams in the 2023 qualifiers. This means every game will carry even more weight, demanding peak performance from the very first pitch.

Taipei Pool: February 2025

The first qualification pool will kick off in Taipei from February 21-25, 2025, featuring a competitive lineup of teams eager to earn their spot in the main tournament. Host Chinese Taipei will be looking to capitalize on home-field advantage.

Chinese Taipei Spain Nicaragua South Africa

Tucson Pool: March 2025

Following that, the second qualifier pool heads to Tucson, Arizona, from March 2-6, 2025. Here, another four teams will clash in a winner-take-all battle, with only the top two from each pool advancing to the main event.

Colombia China Brazil Germany

The Contenders: Who's In?

The field is set for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, featuring a blend of perennial powerhouses and determined rising stars. These 20 nations represent the pinnacle of global baseball, each with a unique history and a fervent fanbase.

Region	Team	Qualification method	Prev. apps	Previous best result	WBSC World Rankings
Americas	 Brazil	Qualifiers Pool B Second-place playoff Winner	1	Pool stage (2013)	23
Americas	 Canada	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 3rd Place	5	Pool stage (2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023)	22
Americas	 Colombia	Qualifiers Pool B Winner	2	Pool Stage (2017, 2023)	13
Americas	 Cuba	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A Winner	5	Runners-up (2006)	10
Americas	 Dominican Republic	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 3rd Place	5	Champions (2013)	11
Americas	 Mexico	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C Winner	5	Third place (2023)	4
Americas	 Nicaragua	Qualifiers Pool A Winner	1	Pool stage (2023)	16
Americas	 Panama	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 4th Place	3	Pool stage (2006, 2009, 2023)	8
Americas	 Puerto Rico	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D Runners-up	5	Runners-up (2013, 2017)	9
Americas	 United States	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C Runners-up	5	Champions (2017)	5
Americas	 Venezuela	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D Winner	5	Fourth place (2009)	3
Asia	 Chinese Taipei	Qualifiers Pool A Second-place playoff Winner	5	Quarterfinals (2013)	2
Asia	 Japan	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B Winner	5	Champions (2006, 2009, 2023)	1
Asia	 South Korea	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 3rd Place	5	Runners-up (2009)	6
Europe	 Czechia	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 4th Place	1	Pool stage (2023)	15
Europe	 Great Britain	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 4th Place	1	Pool stage (2023)	18
Europe	 Israel	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 4th Place	2	Quarterfinals (2017)	19
Europe	 Italy	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A Runners-up	5	Quarterfinals (2013, 2023)	14
Europe	 Netherlands	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 3rd Place	5	Fourth place (2013, 2017)	7
Oceania	 Australia	2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B Runners-up	5	Quarterfinals (2023)	12

The Grand Stages

These four impressive stadiums have been chosen to host the main tournament, each ready to welcome thousands of fans and create an unforgettable atmosphere for the players and spectators alike. From North America to the Pacific Rim, the global nature of the WBC is truly represented.

Pool A	Pool B & Quarterfinals	Pool C	Pool D, Quarterfinals, Semis and Championship
San Juan, Puerto Rico	Houston, United States	Tokyo, Japan	Miami, United States
Hiram Bithorn Stadium	Minute Maid Park	Tokyo Dome	LoanDepot Park
Capacity: 18,264	Capacity: 41,168	Capacity: 45,600	Capacity: 36,742

Pool Draws and Matchups

The anticipation built as the official pools and schedule were announced on August 21, 2024, giving fans a glimpse of the exciting matchups to come. The final four teams from the qualifiers will join these groups in April 2025, completing the competitive field.

Teams are grouped into four pools, each presenting its own unique challenges and opportunities. The numbers in parentheses next to each team indicate their WBSC World Ranking, offering a snapshot of their current standing in international baseball.

Pool A (12.4)	Pool B (12.8)	Pool C (7.2)	Pool D (11.2)
San Juan	Houston	Tokyo	Miami
 Puerto Rico (9)	 United States (5)	 Japan (1)	 Venezuela (3)
 Cuba (10)	 Mexico (4)	 Australia (12)	 Dominican Republic (11)
 Canada (22)	 Italy (14)	 South Korea (6)	 Netherlands (7)
 Panama (8)	 Great Britain (18)	 Czechia (15)	 Israel (19)
 Colombia (13)	 Brazil (23)	 Chinese Taipei (2)	 Nicaragua (16)

Pool Stage: The Opening Salvo

Pool A: San Juan Showdown

Host Puerto Rico leads a fiercely competitive Pool A in San Juan. With rivals like Cuba and Canada, every game promises high-stakes drama and passionate fan support, as teams battle for a spot in the knockout stage.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	 Puerto Rico (H)	0	0	0	0	0	—	—	Advance to knockout stage
2	 Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
3	 Canada	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
4	 Panama	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
5	 Colombia	0	0	0	0	0	—	—

Date	Local time	Road team	Score	Home team	Inn.	Venue	Game duration	Attendance	Boxscore
Mar 6, 2026	 	Cuba 	–	 Panama	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 6, 2026	 	Puerto Rico 	–	 Colombia	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	Colombia 	–	 Canada	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	Panama 	–	 Puerto Rico	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Colombia 	–	 Cuba	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Panama 	–	 Canada	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 9, 2026	 	Colombia 	–	 Panama	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 9, 2026	 	Cuba 	–	 Puerto Rico	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 10, 2026	 	Canada 	–	 Puerto Rico	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium	 	 	 
Mar 11, 2026	 	Canada 	–	 Cuba	 	Hiram Bithorn Stadium

Pool B: Houston Heats Up

In Houston, Pool B promises an intense showdown, headlined by host United States. With Mexico, Italy, and other strong teams vying for advancement, Minute Maid Park will be rocking with critical early-round matchups.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	 United States (H)	0	0	0	0	0	—	—	Advance to knockout stage
2	 Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
3	 Italy	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
4	 Great Britain	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
5	 Brazil	0	0	0	0	0	—	—

Date	Local time	Road team	Score	Home team	Inn.	Venue	Game duration	Attendance	Boxscore
Mar 6, 2026	 	Mexico 	–	 Great Britain	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 6, 2026	 	United States 	–	 Brazil	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	Brazil 	–	 Italy	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	Great Britain 	–	 United States	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Great Britain 	–	 Italy	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Brazil 	–	 Mexico	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 9, 2026	 	Brazil 	–	 Great Britain	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 9, 2026	 	Mexico 	–	 United States	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 10, 2026	 	Italy 	–	 United States	 	Minute Maid Park	 	 	 
Mar 11, 2026	 	Italy 	–	 Mexico	 	Minute Maid Park

Pool C: Tokyo's Tournament

The legendary Tokyo Dome will host Pool C, featuring defending champions Japan. The home crowd will be electric as Japan faces off against formidable Asian rivals like South Korea and Chinese Taipei, alongside Australia and Czechia.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	RF	RA	PCT	GB	Qualification
1	 Japan (H)	0	0	0	0	0	—	—	Advance to knockout stage
2	 Australia	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
3	 South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
4	 Czechia	0	0	0	0	0	—	—
5	 Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	—	—

Date	Local time	Road team	Score	Home team	Inn.	Venue	Game duration	Attendance	Boxscore
Mar 5, 2026	 	Chinese Taipei 	–	 Australia	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 5, 2026	 	Czechia 	–	 South Korea	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 6, 2026	 	Australia 	–	 Czechia	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 6, 2026	 	Japan 	–	 Chinese Taipei	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	Chinese Taipei 	–	 Czechia	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 7, 2026	 	South Korea 	–	 Japan	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Chinese Taipei 	–	 South Korea	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 8, 2026	 	Australia 	–	 Japan	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 9, 2026	 	South Korea 	–	 Australia	 	Tokyo Dome	 	 	 
Mar 10, 2026	 	Czechia 	–	 Japan	 	Tokyo Dome

Pool D: Miami's Mix

Miami’s LoanDepot Park will host Pool D, featuring the strong Venezuelan team. This pool is packed with talent, including the Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Israel, and Nicaragua, all battling to secure their passage to the knockout stages on home soil.

Article

2026 World Baseball Classic

The 2026 World Baseball Classic was an international professional baseball tournament between 20 national baseball teams, and the sixth iteration of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). It ran from March 5 to 17, 2026. The pool-play rounds were played in LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida; Daikin Park in Houston, Texas; Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. Two quarterfinals were played in Houston, while the remaining knockout stage games were played in Miami.

Japan was the defending champion, defeating the United States in the 2023 WBC championship game, but was eliminated by the eventual champion Venezuela in the quarterfinals. Japan's failure to reach the semifinals was its worst-ever finish in tournament history. The Dominican Republic and Italy, the tournament's last undefeated teams, were eliminated by the United States and Venezuela, respectively, in the semifinals, meaning that for the first time since (/wiki/2017WorldBaseballClassic), no team finished the WBC with an undefeated record. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela, the top two teams from the Americas (alongside Olympic hosts United States), qualified for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, to be held in Los Angeles.

Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time, taking a 3–2 lead in the championship game with a run batted in double by Eugenio Suárez in the top of the ninth inning. Maikel García was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

Teams

Qualification

Qualification status: Qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic Participated in the qualifier but failed to qualify

16 teams qualified for the 2026 WBC tournament by virtue of having placed in the top four of their respective pools in the 2023 World Baseball Classic tournament.

Four additional teams qualified through the 2026 WBC qualifying tournament. The qualifying tournament included 8 teams, downsized from the 12 teams that had competed in the 2023 WBC qualifiers. The first pool took place in Taipei, and included Chinese Taipei, Spain, Nicaragua, and South Africa; the second pool took place in Tucson, Arizona, and included Colombia, China, Brazil, and Germany. The Taipei pool ran from February 21–25, 2025, and the Tucson pool ran from March 2–6, 2025.

Colombia, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Chinese Taipei all qualified for the 2026 WBC. Brazil qualified for the first time since (/wiki/2013WorldBaseballClassic). China failed to qualify for the first time in the World Baseball Classic, as it was eliminated after it lost all three of its games in the qualifiers.

<table><thead><tr><th>Region</th><th>Team</th><th>Qualification method</th><th>Prev. apps</th><th>Previous best result</th><th>WBSC world ranking1</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Americas</td><td> Brazil</td><td>Qualifiers Pool B 2nd-place playoff winner</td><td>1</td><td>First round (2013)</td><td>22</td></tr><tr><td> Canada</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 3rd place</td><td>5</td><td>First round (2006, 2009, 2013, 2017)/pool stage (2023)</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td> Colombia</td><td>Qualifiers Pool B winner</td><td>2</td><td>First round (2017)/pool stage (2023)</td><td>13</td></tr><tr><td> Cuba</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A winner</td><td>5</td><td>Runners-up (2006)</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 3rd place</td><td>5</td><td>Champions (2013)</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td> Mexico</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C winner</td><td>5</td><td>Semifinals (2023)</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td> Nicaragua</td><td>Qualifiers Pool A winner</td><td>1</td><td>Pool stage (2023)</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td> Panama</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 4th place</td><td>3</td><td>First round (2006, 2009)/pool stage (2023)</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td> Puerto Rico</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D Runners-up</td><td>5</td><td>Runners-up (2013, 2017)</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td> United States</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C Runners-up</td><td>5</td><td>Champions (2017)</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td> Venezuela</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D winner</td><td>5</td><td>Semifinals (2009)</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Asia</td><td> Chinese Taipei</td><td>Qualifiers Pool A Second-place playoff winner</td><td>5</td><td>Second round (2013)</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td> Japan</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B winner</td><td>5</td><td>Champions (2006, 2009, 2023)</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td> South Korea</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 3rd place</td><td>5</td><td>Runners-up (2009)</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Europe</td><td> Czechia</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B 4th place</td><td>1</td><td>Pool stage (2023)</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td> Great Britain</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool C 4th place</td><td>1</td><td>Pool stage (2023)</td><td>19</td></tr><tr><td> Israel</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool D 4th place</td><td>2</td><td>Second round (2017)</td><td>21</td></tr><tr><td> Italy</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A Runners-up</td><td>5</td><td>Second round (2013)/quarterfinals (2023)</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td> Netherlands</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool A 3rd place</td><td>5</td><td>Semifinals (2013, 2017)</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Oceania</td><td> Australia</td><td>2023 World Baseball Classic Pool B Runners-up</td><td>5</td><td>Quarterfinals (2023)</td><td>11</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pools

The pools and schedule were announced on August 21, 2024. Each pool contained an unspecified winner of a qualifier. The pool assignments of the teams that advanced from the qualifiers (pot 5) were announced on April 9, 2025. The pool assignments prioritized the hosts (Japan, Puerto Rico, and the United States). The remaining pool assignments were made based on WBSC World Rankings, competitive balance, and commercial and geographic interest.

Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate positions in the WBSC World Rankings at the time of the announcement of the pools.

<table><thead><tr><th>Pot 1</th><th>Pot 2</th><th>Pot 3</th><th>Pot 4</th><th>Pot 5</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Japan (1) (H) United States (5) (H) Puerto Rico (9) (H) Venezuela (3)</td><td> Mexico (4) South Korea (6) Netherlands (7) Panama (8)</td><td> Cuba (10) Dominican Republic (11) Australia (12) Italy (14)</td><td> Czech Republic (15) Great Britain (18) Israel (19) Canada (22)</td><td> Chinese Taipei (2) Colombia (13) Nicaragua (16) Brazil (23)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate positions in the WBSC World Rankings at the time of the announcement of the pools. The decimal number represents the average ranking in the designated pool.

<table><thead><tr><th>Pot</th><th>Pool A (12.4)</th><th>Pool B (12.8)</th><th>Pool C (7.2)</th><th>Pool D (11.2)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>San Juan</td><td>Houston</td><td>Tokyo</td><td>Miami</td></tr><tr><td>Pot 1</td><td> Puerto Rico (9) (H)</td><td> United States (5) (H)</td><td> Japan (1) (H)</td><td> Venezuela (3)</td></tr><tr><td>Pot 2</td><td> Panama (8)</td><td> Mexico (4)</td><td> South Korea (6)</td><td> Netherlands (7)</td></tr><tr><td>Pot 3</td><td> Cuba (10)</td><td> Italy (14)</td><td> Australia (12)</td><td> Dominican Republic (11)</td></tr><tr><td>Pot 4</td><td> Canada (22)</td><td> Great Britain (18)</td><td> Czechia (15)</td><td> Israel (19)</td></tr><tr><td>Pot 5</td><td> Colombia (13)</td><td> Brazil (23)</td><td> Chinese Taipei (2)</td><td> Nicaragua (16)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Venues

2026 World Baseball Classic

<table><thead><tr><th>Pool A</th><th>Pool B & two quarterfinals</th><th>Pool C</th><th>Pool D, two quarterfinals, semifinals and final</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>San Juan, Puerto Rico</td><td>Houston, Texas</td><td>Tokyo, Japan</td><td>Miami, Florida</td></tr><tr><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>LoanDepot Park</td></tr><tr><td>Capacity: 19,125</td><td>Capacity: 41,168</td><td>Capacity: 45,600</td><td>Capacity: 36,742</td></tr><tr><td>San Juan</td><td>HoustonMiami</td></tr><tr><td>Tokyo</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pre-WBC friendly games

2026 World Baseball Classic

To prepare for the tournament, teams played friendly preparation games between November 2025 and March 2026.

Pool stage

2026 World Baseball Classic

In each of the four pools, the top two teams qualified for the knockout stage. The teams finishing third and fourth achieved automatic qualification to the next WBC, while the team finishing last would be required to enter the qualifying phase for the next WBC.

The games were played at the dates and locations shown below.

<table><thead><tr><th>Tiebreakers</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>The ranking of teams in the group stage is determined as follows:</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pool A

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>RF</th><th>RA</th><th>PCT</th><th>GB</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td> Canada</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>21</td><td>10</td><td>.750</td><td>—</td><td>Advance to knockout stage</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td> Puerto Rico (H)</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>15</td><td>7</td><td>.750</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td> Cuba</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>13</td><td>16</td><td>.500</td><td>1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td> Colombia</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>10</td><td>23</td><td>.250</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td> Panama</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>11</td><td>14</td><td>.250</td><td>2</td><td>Requalification required for next WBC</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Local time</th><th>Road team</th><th>Score</th><th>Home team</th><th>Inn.</th><th>Venue</th><th>Game duration</th><th>Attendance</th><th>Boxscore</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>12:00 AST</td><td>Cuba </td><td>3–1</td><td> Panama</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>2:38</td><td>10,015</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>19:00 AST</td><td>Puerto Rico </td><td>5–0</td><td> Colombia</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>2:55</td><td>18,793</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>12:00 AST</td><td>Colombia </td><td>2–8</td><td> Canada</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>3:08</td><td>10,293</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>19:00 AST</td><td>Panama </td><td>3–4</td><td> Puerto Rico</td><td>10</td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>3:26 (+0:24 delay)</td><td>18,925</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>12:00 AST</td><td>Colombia </td><td>4–7</td><td> Cuba</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>2:47</td><td>10,957</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>19:00 AST</td><td>Panama </td><td>4–3</td><td> Canada</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>3:08 (+1:25 delay)</td><td>15,649</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>12:00 AST</td><td>Colombia </td><td>4–3</td><td> Panama</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>3:15</td><td>9,790</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>19:00 AST</td><td>Cuba </td><td>1–4</td><td> Puerto Rico</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>2:53 (+1:13 delay)</td><td>19,189</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 10, 2026</td><td>19:00 AST</td><td>Canada </td><td>3–2</td><td> Puerto Rico</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>2:54 (+1:09 delay)</td><td>18,997</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 11, 2026</td><td>15:00 AST</td><td>Canada </td><td>7–2</td><td> Cuba</td><td> </td><td>Hiram Bithorn Stadium</td><td>3:09</td><td>10,610</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pool B

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>RF</th><th>RA</th><th>PCT</th><th>GB</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td> Italy</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>32</td><td>11</td><td>1.000</td><td>—</td><td>Advance to knockout stage</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td> United States (H)</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>35</td><td>17</td><td>.750</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td> Mexico</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>28</td><td>16</td><td>.500</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td> Great Britain</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>15</td><td>25</td><td>.250</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td> Brazil</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>47</td><td>.000</td><td>4</td><td>Requalification required for next WBC</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Local time</th><th>Road team</th><th>Score</th><th>Home team</th><th>Inn.</th><th>Venue</th><th>Game duration</th><th>Attendance</th><th>Boxscore</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>12:00 CST</td><td>Mexico </td><td>8–2</td><td> Great Britain</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:12</td><td>29,724</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>19:00 CST</td><td>United States </td><td>15–5</td><td> Brazil</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:30</td><td>30,825</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>12:00 CST</td><td>Brazil </td><td>0–8</td><td> Italy</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>2:47</td><td>29,357</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>19:00 CST</td><td>Great Britain </td><td>1–9</td><td> United States</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>2:57</td><td>34,368</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>12:00 CDT</td><td>Great Britain </td><td>4–7</td><td> Italy</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:06</td><td>35,141</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>19:00 CDT</td><td>Brazil </td><td>0–16</td><td> Mexico</td><td>6</td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>2:24</td><td>36,380</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>12:00 CDT</td><td>Brazil </td><td>1–8</td><td> Great Britain</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>2:43</td><td>34,395</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>19:00 CDT</td><td>Mexico </td><td>3–5</td><td> United States</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:04</td><td>41,628</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 10, 2026</td><td>20:00 CDT</td><td>Italy </td><td>8–6</td><td> United States</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:08</td><td>38,653</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 11, 2026</td><td>18:00 CDT</td><td>Italy </td><td>9–1</td><td> Mexico</td><td> </td><td>Daikin Park</td><td>3:09</td><td>39,894</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pool C

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>RF</th><th>RA</th><th>PCT</th><th>GB</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td> Japan (H)</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>34</td><td>9</td><td>1.000</td><td>—</td><td>Advance to knockout stage</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td> South Korea</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>28</td><td>19</td><td>.500</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td> Australia</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>13</td><td>12</td><td>.500</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td> Chinese Taipei</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>19</td><td>20</td><td>.500</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td> Czechia</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>39</td><td>.000</td><td>4</td><td>Requalification required for next WBC</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Local time</th><th>Road team</th><th>Score</th><th>Home team</th><th>Inn.</th><th>Venue</th><th>Game duration</th><th>Attendance</th><th>Boxscore</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Mar 5, 2026</td><td>12:00 JST</td><td>Chinese Taipei </td><td>0–3</td><td> Australia</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:15</td><td>40,523</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 5, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>Czechia </td><td>4–11</td><td> South Korea</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:39</td><td>19,920</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>12:00 JST</td><td>Australia </td><td>5–1</td><td> Czechia</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:17</td><td>21,514</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>Japan </td><td>13–0</td><td> Chinese Taipei</td><td>7</td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:36</td><td>42,314</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>12:00 JST</td><td>Chinese Taipei </td><td>14–0</td><td> Czechia</td><td>7</td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:20</td><td>40,522</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>South Korea </td><td>6–8</td><td> Japan</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>3:04</td><td>42,318</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>12:00 JST</td><td>Chinese Taipei </td><td>5–4</td><td> South Korea</td><td>10</td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:58</td><td>40,584</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>Australia </td><td>3–4</td><td> Japan</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:33</td><td>42,331</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>South Korea </td><td>7–2</td><td> Australia</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>3:01</td><td>32,908</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 10, 2026</td><td>19:00 JST</td><td>Czechia </td><td>0–9</td><td> Japan</td><td> </td><td>Tokyo Dome</td><td>2:36</td><td>42,340</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr></tbody></table>

Pool D

<table><thead><tr><th>Pos</th><th>Team</th><th>Pld</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>RF</th><th>RA</th><th>PCT</th><th>GB</th><th>Qualification</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>41</td><td>10</td><td>1.000</td><td>—</td><td>Advance to knockout stage</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td> Venezuela</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>26</td><td>12</td><td>.750</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td> Israel</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>15</td><td>23</td><td>.500</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td> Netherlands</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>9</td><td>27</td><td>.250</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td> Nicaragua</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>25</td><td>.000</td><td>4</td><td>Requalification required for next WBC</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Date</th><th>Local time</th><th>Road team</th><th>Score</th><th>Home team</th><th>Inn.</th><th>Venue</th><th>Game duration</th><th>Attendance</th><th>Boxscore</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>12:00 EST</td><td>Netherlands </td><td>2–6</td><td> Venezuela</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:54</td><td>19,542</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 6, 2026</td><td>19:00 EST</td><td>Nicaragua </td><td>3–12</td><td> Dominican Republic</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>3:20</td><td>35,127</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>12:00 EST</td><td>Nicaragua </td><td>3–4</td><td> Netherlands</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:45</td><td>16,897</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 7, 2026</td><td>19:00 EST</td><td>Israel </td><td>3–11</td><td> Venezuela</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:37</td><td>22,573</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>12:00 EDT</td><td>Netherlands </td><td>1–12</td><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>7</td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:23</td><td>32,324</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 8, 2026</td><td>19:00 EDT</td><td>Nicaragua </td><td>0–5</td><td> Israel</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:45</td><td>17,972</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>12:00 EDT</td><td>Dominican Republic </td><td>10–1</td><td> Israel</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:47</td><td>28,728</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 9, 2026</td><td>19:00 EDT</td><td>Venezuela </td><td>4–0</td><td> Nicaragua</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:27</td><td>27,844</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 10, 2026</td><td>19:00 EDT</td><td>Israel </td><td>6–2</td><td> Netherlands</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>2:57</td><td>13,565</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr><tr><td>Mar 11, 2026</td><td>20:00 EDT</td><td>Dominican Republic </td><td>7–5</td><td> Venezuela</td><td> </td><td>LoanDepot Park</td><td>3:03</td><td>36,230</td><td>Boxscore</td></tr></tbody></table>

Knockout stage

2026 World Baseball Classic

The top two teams from each pool advanced to the single-elimination bracket. Houston hosted two quarterfinal games while Miami hosted the rest of the knockout stage.

Bracket

<table><thead><tr><th> </th><th>Quarterfinals</th><th></th><th>Semifinals</th><th></th><th>Final</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 14 – Miami</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Venezuela</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 16 – Miami</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Japan</td><td>5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Venezuela</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 14 – Houston</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td></td><td> Italy</td><td>2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Puerto Rico</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td></td><td>March 17 – Miami</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Italy</td><td>8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Venezuela</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 13 – Houston</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td></td><td> United States</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> United States</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 15 – Miami</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Canada</td><td>3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> United States</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>March 13 – Miami</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td></td><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> South Korea</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> Dominican Republic (F/7)</td><td>10</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table>

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>R</th><th>H</th><th>E</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Venezuela</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td> United States</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>WP: Andrés Machado (1–0) LP: Garrett Whitlock (0–1) Sv: Daniel Palencia (3) Home runs: VEN: Wilyer Abreu (2) USA: Bryce Harper (1) Attendance: 36,190 Umpires: HP: Dan Bellino, 1B: Cory Blaser, 2B: Jeremie Rehak, 3B: Chris Graham, LF: Delfin Colon, RF: Cuti Suarez Boxscore</td></tr></tbody></table>

Final standings

2026 World Baseball Classic

The final standings were calculated by the WBSC for inclusion in the WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings system.

<table><thead><tr><th>Rk</th><th>Team</th><th>W</th><th>L</th><th>Tiebreaker</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td> Venezuela</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td></td><td> United States</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>Lost in semifinals</td></tr><tr><td></td><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.081</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td> Italy</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.129</td></tr><tr><td>Lost in quarterfinals</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td> Japan</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td> Canada</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>Canada defeated Puerto Rico 3–2</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td> Puerto Rico</td><td>3</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td> South Korea</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>3rd place in pool</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td> Australia</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.114</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td> Cuba</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.152</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td> Mexico</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.167</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td> Israel</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.219</td></tr><tr><td>4th place in pool</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td> Chinese Taipei</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td> Colombia</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.225</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td> Great Britain</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.245</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td> Netherlands</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.276</td></tr><tr><td>5th place in pool</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td> Panama</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>–</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td> Nicaragua</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.248</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td> Czech Republic</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.406</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td> Brazil</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>RA/Outs = 0.511</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th> 2026 World Baseball Classic champions </th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Venezuela First title</td></tr></tbody></table>

Qualification for 2028 Summer Olympics

2026 World Baseball Classic

On February 9, 2026, the WBSC announced that the tournament would serve as the only Olympic qualifier for teams from the Americas. The top two teams would join the hosting United States at the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament. The three remaining qualification spots, for participants from other regions, would be determined at qualification events taking place between November 2027 and March 2028.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Qualified on</th><th>Previous appearances in Summer Olympics</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> Dominican Republic</td><td>March 13, 2026</td><td>3 (1984, 1992, 2020)</td></tr><tr><td> Venezuela</td><td>March 14, 2026</td><td>0 (debut)</td></tr></tbody></table>

All-tournament team

2026 World Baseball Classic

<table><thead><tr><th>Position</th><th>Player</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>C</td><td>Austin Wells</td></tr><tr><td>1B</td><td>Luis Arráez</td></tr><tr><td>2B</td><td>Brice Turang</td></tr><tr><td>3B</td><td>Maikel García (MVP)</td></tr><tr><td>SS</td><td>Ezequiel Tovar</td></tr><tr><td>OF</td><td>Roman Anthony</td></tr><tr><td>Fernando Tatís Jr.</td></tr><tr><td>Dante Nori</td></tr><tr><td>DH</td><td>Shohei Ohtani</td></tr><tr><td>P</td><td>Paul Skenes</td></tr><tr><td>Logan Webb</td></tr><tr><td>Aaron Nola</td></tr></tbody></table>

Broadcasting

2026 World Baseball Classic

Sport24 secured the rights for international in-flight and cruise ship travel.

<table><thead><tr><th>Territory</th><th>Rights holder(s)</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania</td><td>ESPN</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland</td><td>Sportdigital</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Brazil</td><td>ESPN and Disney+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Canada</td><td>Sportsnet (English)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TVA Sports (French)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Caribbean</td><td>ESPN and Disney+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>BesTV, Douyin, MIGU, Tencent Video, Fujian TV, and Youku</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Colombia</td><td>Caracol HD2, Ditu</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cuba</td><td>Tele Rebelde</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Czechia</td><td>Česká Televize</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dominican Republic</td><td>VTV 32, Tele Antillas, and Coral 39</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>France</td><td>beIN Sports</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hungary</td><td>Sport1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ireland and United Kingdom</td><td>TNT Sports</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Israel</td><td>Sports 5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Italy and San Marino</td><td>Sky Sport Italy and RAI 2/RAI Sport</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Japan</td><td>Netflix</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Nippon Hoso, Bunka Hōsō, and Radiko (Audio Only)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>South Korea</td><td>TVING, tvN/tvN Sports, KBS, SBS, and MBC</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Latin America</td><td>ESPN and Disney+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1 Baseball Network</td></tr><tr><td>Macau and Southeast Asia</td><td>SPOTV</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MENA</td><td>beIN Sports</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mexico</td><td>TelevisaUnivision and ESPN</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Netherlands</td><td>ESPN</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Nicaragua</td><td>Viva Nicaragua</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Panama</td><td>RPC and TV Max</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Puerto Rico</td><td>WAPA Deportes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sub-Saharan Africa</td><td>ESPN and Disney+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Taiwan</td><td>ELTA, EBC, TTV, and Videoland</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Turkey</td><td>S Sport</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>United States</td><td>Fox Sports (English)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Fox Deportes (Spanish)</td></tr><tr><td>Venezuela</td><td>Televen, IVC, ByM Sport and Venevisión.</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Controversies and storylines

Netflix deal in Japan

In Japan, Netflix acquired the exclusive rights to the tournament for an estimated 15 billion yen. Previously, the World Baseball Classic had been split between free-to-air (FTA) television and the pay television channel J Sports, with Japan's games usually being the only ones broadcast by FTA channels. Netflix subcontracted production of the broadcasts to Nippon Television.

The Netflix agreement faced a mixed reaction among fans and critics, as it marked the first time that Japan's WBC games would not be available on FTA television. Bars raised concerns that they would not be able to stream the tournament at their establishments due to Netflix's terms of service prohibiting commercial use, with some venues electing to do so discreetly in order to evade detection and legal complaints. As another workaround, some karaoke parlors enabled the ability for patrons to sign into the Netflix app in their private booths, so that they could watch the tournament with their friends. Netflix announced that it would offer a one-month subscription for 500 yen (approximately US$3.19) during March as a promotional offer for the tournament, and also organized public viewing parties in collaboration with venues such as Aeon and pub chain The HUB.

Some critics argued that negative reception to the deal was a form of Galápagos syndrome, noting that streaming was more prevalent among younger audiences than traditional television, the fact that non-Japan games would be available on a cheaper, over-the-top platform, and that Netflix was a well-known outlet internationally. Others believed that the lack of WBC coverage on television would reduce fatigue from the excessive media coverage of Shohei Ohtani by Japanese terrestrial networks.

According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, the number of Netflix mobile app downloads grew about five times higher than in March of the prior year.

Free coverage was also available via radio, with Nippon Broadcasting System holding rights to all Japan's games, and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting broadcasting one quarterfinal, one semifinal, and the final, regardless of whether Japan played or not, streaming service Radiko showing both radio stations audios. As part of its subcontract to produce the telecasts, Nippon Television also received the rights to produce a series of specials following the tournament.

Baseball's "Dream Team" and later disappointment

The success of the (/wiki/2017WorldBaseballClassic) and (/wiki/2023WorldBaseballClassic) tournaments resulted in more MLB players interested in playing for their national teams. For the 2026 tournament, the United States had significantly better players, especially pitchers, than previous editions. Some have compared the 2026 United States team to the Avengers or the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, known as the "Dream Team".

But from February, support for the American team started to sour, first, it was announced that American pitcher Tarik Skubal had decided to pitch only a single game before returning to spring training with the Detroit Tigers. A few hours later, that game was announced as a group pool stage game against Great Britain. The decision was met with controversy, with fans calling Skubal a "quitter" and wondering if it would be a better option to pick another pitcher in his place.

Skubal blamed the calendar, saying, "If this tournament were in the middle of season, like if it was [Olympic] hockey, I'd had no problem playing those games".

Later in the tournament, fan scrutiny increased in part due to a statement by Bryce Harper comparing the tournament with the Olympics. This sparked discussion about American players' commitment to a team, which had also been questioned in prior WBC editions.

The peak of debate went after the loss over Italy during group pool play. Prior to the U.S.–Italy game, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa erroneously mentioned in an interview with MLB Network that Team USA had qualified for the quarterfinals, though no spot had been clinched at the time. DeRosa also allowed players to celebrate the early qualification, contributing to a loss against Italy that left the U.S. team's fate in jeopardy.

The U.S. ended up qualifying for the quarterfinals after Mexico lost to the same Italian team. Following this, a win against Canada and a controversial win over the Dominican Republic guaranteed a spot in the championship game.

After the loss in the final to Venezuela, fans called to DeRosa step down from the national team, even if he wanted to manage Team USA for the next WBC.

Insurance rule debate and Puerto Rico roster issues

If players are on Major League Baseball 40-man rosters, they must have an insurance policy that compensates teams (in case a player is injured during the tournament) or else have a written waiver allowing the player to play. The reasons to refuse a player are various, but often related to age, extensive injury history or recent injuries. Most of WBC and MLB-related insurances are issued by National Financial Partners, an Aon company.

This rule has long been a point of contention for fans, teams, and organizers, because it often affects the performance of teams and makes teams heavily dependent on knowing the eligibility of a player beforehand. For example, in 2023, Clayton Kershaw was not allowed to play for Team USA due to an insurance refusal, but was allowed to play in 2026 because he is now technically classified as a free agent due to his retirement following the 2025 MLB season.

The rule reached another boiling point in 2026 due to widespread insurance refusal among players, such as Jose Altuve and Miguel Rojas of Venezuela.

The most notable case in 2026 was with Team Puerto Rico, which suffered from the refusal of several potential players, the most notable being Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa. The impact on the team prompted fans to boycott the tournament, and the federation, alongside the local government, considered withdrawing from the tournament completely due to the insurance issues with the players. The situation quickly escalated to WBC and MLB leaderships, resulting in an emergency meeting with Puerto Rico on the afternoon of January 31. After the meeting, it was reported that World Baseball Classic Inc. (WBCI), MLB, and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) were negotiating with insurers to change some decisions. On February 1, another meeting was held between MLB and Puerto Rican federation. Reports indicated that the Puerto Rican federation and local businesspeople were working to secure backup insurance in case the original insurance re-refused the players, but the three players asked by Puerto Rico were unable to be selected due to the insurance rules.

The president of WBSC Americas and Venezuelan Baseball Federation, Aracelis León, also voiced her displeasure at the insurance issues on February 1, asking WBCI and MLBPA to fix the situation. Lindor was ruled out for the Classic on February 11, due to having surgery on his hand for a hamate bone injury.

Visa denials for Cuban staff

The Baseball Federation of Cuba announced on February 25, 2026, that American officials had denied visas to eight members of its traveling party, including the organization's president and general secretary due to the ongoing 2026 Cuban crisis. The visa denials were tied to the tightening of immigration policies, which currently require specialized licensing for Cuban team officials to enter the U.S. All Cuban players and coaches were cleared to enter the country due to visa exemptions for athletes and coaches participating in big sporting tournaments, Olympic qualifiers, and events supported by Major League Baseball.

Non-usage of ABS

As was the case in recent WBCs, the 2026 tournament uses the regular season MLB rules of the prior year's season. This meant that the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) challenge rules would not be in play for the 2026 WBC.

Following the opening game of the tournament between Chinese Taipei and Australia, umpire Omar Peralta was heavily criticized by Taiwanese fans and media for missing key calls, leading Taiwanese media to describe his strike-zone as an "amoeba". Chinese Taipei ended up losing 0–3 against Australia, in one of the most critical games of Pool C, which caused the controversy to deepen and raised calls for an early adoption of ABS.

On March 4, 2026, Ronald Acuña Jr. mistakenly tried to use the ABS challenge system, in Venezuela's pre-tournament exhibition game against the Houston Astros.

On March 15, 2026, the Dominican Republic lost to the United States in the semifinal on a controversial strike during a full count where had it been reviewed and called correctly, would have allowed Geraldo Perdomo to walk as it was a ball. This led to further calls to implement ABS during the tournament.

Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai's visit

In March 2026, Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai made a personal trip to Tokyo to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking the first time the Taiwanese Premier visited Japan since diplomatic relations were severed in 1972. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the visit as having "evil designs" and warned "Japan's indulgence in provocation ... will inevitably come at a cost". The Japanese government defended the trip as a personal affair, while Cho said he paid for the trip himself. Cho claimed that his out-of-pocket expenses included purchasing WBC tickets from Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Since tickets for Taiwan's matches had sold out early, this further triggered controversy regarding the CPBL's potential involvement in the illegal resale of tickets.