The national teams set to compete in Tokyo during the 2026 World Baseball Classic have revealed their pre-tournament exhibition schedules, outlining their final preparations ahead of Pool C play at Tokyo Dome.
Japan – The host nation will once again hold its training camp in Miyazaki Prefecture. Japan will conclude camp with a two-game exhibition series against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks before traveling to Nagoya for a two-game set against the Chunichi Dragons. The Samurai will then head to Osaka to face the Orix Buffaloes and Hanshin Tigers, with MLB-based players expected to join the squad for those final two games.
South Korea – South Korea will conduct its camp in Okinawa, where it will play six exhibition games against KBO clubs that also hold spring training on the island. The team will then move on to Osaka to join Japan in major exhibition games against Orix and Hanshin.
Chinese Taipei – The defending WBSC Premier12 champions will host two high-profile exhibitions in Taipei against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters, both of whom now feature Taiwanese standouts Jo-Hsi Hsu and Ruei-Yang Gu Lin. The team will then travel to Miyazaki to face the farm teams of Orix and SoftBank before leaving for Tokyo.
Czech Republic – The Czechs are no strangers to Asia, having competed in Tokyo during the 2023 WBC. They returned in 2024 to face Chinese Taipei in Taipei and Japan in Nagoya ahead of the Premier12 – the two eventual finalists of the tournament – and traveled to Seoul in 2025 for an exhibition series prior to Korea’s games against Japan. Several Czech players were also selected to the All-Europe team that played Samurai Japan in Osaka in early 2024. They will play seven exhibition games against NPB teams, including one against the Chiba Lotte Marines’ top team, with whom the Czech program has developed a close partnership over the past year, including a coaching exchange. The remaining games will be played against minor league squads.
Australia – Australia will hold its training camp in Fuchu, which has become the national team’s self-described “home away from home,” having served as its base in the greater Tokyo area ahead of major international competitions since 2018. They will play exhibition games against local Japanese industrial league clubs before heading to Miyazaki for a short MLB-run camp, then returning to Tokyo for the WBC.
Schedules
Japan
February 22 – vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – Miyazaki
February 23 – vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – Miyazaki
February 27 – at Chunichi Dragons – Nagoya
February 28 – at Chunichi Dragons – Nagoya
March 2 – at Orix Buffaloes – Osaka
March 3 – Hanshin Tigers – Osaka
South Korea
February 20 – vs. Samsung Lions – Okinawa
February 21 – vs. Hanwha Eagles – Okinawa
February 23 – vs. Hanwha Eagles – Okinawa
February 24 – vs. KIA Tigers – Okinawa
February 26 – vs. Samsung Lions – Okinawa
February 27 – vs. KT Wiz – Okinawa
March 2 – at Hanshin Tigers – Osaka
March 3 – at Orix Buffaloes – Osaka
Chinese Taipei
February 26: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Taipei)
February 27: Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters (Taipei)
March 2: Orix Buffaloes Farm Team (Miyazaki)
March 3: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Farm Team (Miyazaki)
Australia
February 21 – vs. All-Ashikaga – Fuchu
February 22 – vs. All-Fuchu – Fuchu
February 24 – vs. Metropolitan Police Department Baseball Club – Fuchu
February 25 – vs. Gold’s Gym Baseball Club – Fuchu
February 26 -vs. 3GoodGroup HOZEN noLimiteds – Fuchu
March 2 – vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Farm Team – Miyazaki
March 3 – vs. Yomiuri Giants Farm Team – Miyazaki
Czech Republic
February 22 – vs. Chiba Lotte Marines Farm Team – Miyazaki
February 23 – vs. Chiba Lotte Marines Farm Team – Miyazaki
February 24 – vs. Hiroshima Toyo Carp Farm Team – Miyazaki
February 26 – vs. Chiba Lotte Marines – Miyazaki
February 27 – vs. Yomiuri Giants Farm Team – Miyazaki
March 2 – vs. Yomiuri Giants Farm Team – Miyazaki
March 3 – vs. Orix Buffaloes Farm Team – Miyazaki
Photo: The Tokyo Dome will host Pool C of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. (Photo by Leif Skodnick/World Baseball Network)
