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The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is back in 2026, bringing together the world's top national teams for an intense international showdown. As MLB spring training ramps up, this tournament offers high-stakes baseball with stars representing their countries.
Japan aim to defend their 2023 title after beating Team USA in the final, while the Americans seek revenge. Powerhouses like the Dominican Republic (2013 champions), Venezuela, and Puerto Rico also loom as serious threats among the 20 competing nations.
World Baseball Classic 2026: Format and key dates
The format features four pools of five teams each in round-robin play. The top two from every group advance to the quarterfinals, followed by single-elimination semifinals and the championship.
Pool games run March 4-11 across Tokyo (Pool C), San Juan (Pool A), Houston (Pool B), and Miami (Pool D). Knockout stages shift to Houston and Miami, with the final in Miami on March 17.
Pool breakdown and top contenders
Pool A (San Juan, Puerto Rico): Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, Colombia
Pool B (Houston, Texas): USA, Mexico, Italy, Great Britain, Brazil
Pool C (Tokyo, Japan): Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czechia, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Pool D (Miami, Florida): Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Netherlands, Israel, Nicaragua
Detailed pool play schedule (All times ET)
Wednesday, March 4
10:00 PM: Taiwan vs Australia (Tokyo)
Thursday, March 5
5:00 AM: Czechia vs South Korea (Tokyo)
10:00 PM: Australia vs Czechia (Tokyo)
Friday, March 6
5:00 AM: Japan vs Taiwan (Tokyo)
11:00 AM: Cuba vs Panama (San Juan)
12:00 PM: Netherlands vs Venezuela (Miami)
1:00 PM: Mexico vs Great Britain (Houston)
6:00 PM: Puerto Rico vs Colombia (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Nicaragua vs Dominican Republic (Miami)
8:00 PM: USA vs Brazil (Houston)
10:00 PM: Taiwan vs Czechia (Tokyo)
Saturday, March 7
5:00 AM: South Korea vs Japan (Tokyo)
11:00 AM: Colombia vs Canada (San Juan)
12:00 PM: Nicaragua vs Netherlands (Miami)
1:00 PM: Brazil vs Italy (Houston)
6:00 PM: Panama vs Puerto Rico (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Israel vs Venezuela (Miami)
8:00 PM: Great Britain vs USA (Houston)
10:00 PM: Taiwan vs South Korea (Tokyo)
Sunday, March 8
6:00 AM: Australia vs Japan (Tokyo)
12:00 PM: Colombia vs Cuba (San Juan)
12:00 PM: Netherlands vs Dominican Republic (Miami)
1:00 PM: Great Britain vs Italy (Houston)
7:00 PM: Panama vs Canada (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Nicaragua vs Israel (Miami)
8:00 PM: Brazil vs Mexico (Houston)
Monday, March 9
6:00 AM: South Korea vs Australia (Tokyo)
12:00 PM: Dominican Republic vs Israel (Miami)
12:00 PM: Colombia vs Panama (San Juan)
1:00 PM: Brazil vs Great Britain (Houston)
7:00 PM: Cuba vs Puerto Rico (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Venezuela vs Nicaragua (Miami)
8:00 PM: Mexico vs USA (Houston)
Tuesday, March 10
6:00 AM: Czechia vs Japan (Tokyo)
7:00 PM: Canada vs Puerto Rico (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Israel vs Netherlands (Miami)
9:00 PM: Italy vs USA (Houston)
Wednesday, March 11
3:00 PM: Canada vs Cuba (San Juan)
7:00 PM: Italy vs Mexico (Houston)
8:00 PM: Dominican Republic vs Venezuela (Miami)
Quarterfinals, semifinals, and final (All times ET)
Friday, March 13
6:30 PM: Runner-up Pool C vs Winner Pool D (Miami)
8:00 PM: Runner-up Pool B vs.Winner Pool A (Houston)
Saturday, March 14
3:00 PM: Runner-up Pool A vs Winner Pool B (Houston)
9:00 PM: Runner-up Pool D vs Winner Pool C (Miami)
Sunday, March 15
8:00 PM: Semifinal 1 (Miami)
Monday, March 16
8:00 PM: Semifinal 2 (Miami)
Tuesday, March 17
8:00 PM: Championship Game (Miami)
World Baseball Classic 2026: Live streaming details
This compact tournament packs elite talent and national pride into two weeks. Fans can catch games on networks like FOX, FS1, and FS2.
English (US) ·