The 2026 World Baseball Classic will mark the second consecutive edition to feature a 20-team field, following earlier tournaments in 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2017 that included 16 teams.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
Nicaragua will face Venezuela, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic in Miami at loanDepot Park from March 6-11.
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain, and Brazil will compete in Pool B at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia will compete in Pool A at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico from March 6-11.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete in Pool C at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10.
The quarterfinals will begin March 13. The Pool A runner-up will face the Pool B winner at Daikin Park, followed by the Pool B runner-up facing the Pool A winner on March 14.
On the other side of the bracket, the Pool C runner-up will face the Pool D winner on March 13. The Pool D runner-up’s opponent has yet to be announced.
The schedule for the 2026 @WBCBaseball is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/B5MvUIrZK5
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 9, 2025
Japan has won the most WBC titles with three championships in 2006, 2009, and 2023. The only other countries to win the event are the United States in 2017 and the Dominican Republic in 2013.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, which partners with Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association, and WBCI to organize the tournament during spring training.
The full list of 2026 WBC pool matchups and confirmed dates is available on the World Baseball Classic venue page. Game times have not yet been announced.
If teams finish with identical records in pool play, tiebreakers will include the Total Quality Balance run differential rule—factoring in runs scored and allowed—alongside head-to-head results.
2026 WBC Pool Matchups With Confirmed Dates
Pool A – Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Canada & Cuba
Venue – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 6
Game 1 – Cuba vs. Panama
Game 2 – Puerto Rico vs. Colombia
March 7
Game 3 – Colombia vs. Canada
Game 4 – Panama vs. Puerto Rico
March 8
Game 5 – Colombia vs. Cuba
Game 6 – Panama vs. Canada
March 9
Game 7 – Colombia vs. Panama
Game 8 – Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
March 10
Game 9 – Canada vs. Puerto Rico
March 11
Game 10 – Canada vs. Cuba
Pool B – United States, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain & Italy
Venue – Daikin Park – Houston, Texas
March 6
Game 1 – Mexico vs. Great Britain
Game 2 – United States vs. Brazil
March 7
Game 3 – Brazil vs. Italy
Game 4 – Great Britain vs. United States
March 8
Game 5 – Great Britain vs. Italy
Game 6 – Brazil vs. Mexico
March 9
Game 7 – Brazil vs. Great Britain
Game 8 – Mexico vs. United States
March 10
Game 9 – Italy vs. United States
March 11
Game 10 – Italy vs. Mexico
Pool C – Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, South Korea & Czech Republic
Venue – Tokyo Dome – Tokyo, Japan
March 5
Game 1 – Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
Game 2 – Czechia vs. South Korea
March 6
Game 3 – Australia vs. Czechia
Game 4 – Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
March 7
Game 5 – Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia
Game 6 – South Korea vs. Japan
March 8
Game 7 – Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea
Game 8 – Australia vs. Japan
March 9
Game 9 – South Korea vs. Australia
March 10
Game 10 – Czechia vs. Japan
Pool D – Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Venezuela, Israel & Nicaragua
Venue – loanDepot Park – Miami, Fla.
March 6
Game 1 – Netherlands vs. Venezuela
Game 2 – Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic
March 7
Game 3 – Nicaragua vs. Netherlands
Game 4 – Israel vs. Venezuela
March 8
Game 5 – Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic
Game 6 – Nicaragua vs. Israel
March 9
Game 7 – Dominican Republic vs. Israel
Game 8 – Venezuela vs. Nicaragua
March 10
Game 9 – Israel vs. Netherlands
March 11
Game 10 – Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela
WBSC Rankings Outline
Japan is ranked No. 1 and will make its sixth WBC appearance. Chinese Taipei is ranked No. 2 and will also appear for the sixth time. Venezuela, Mexico, and the United States—ranked third through fifth—will each compete in their sixth WBC.
South Korea (No. 6), Netherlands (7), Panama (8), Puerto Rico (9), Cuba (10), Dominican Republic (11), and Australia (12) will all make their sixth appearance as well.
Colombia (13) is in for the third time. Italy (14), Cuba (10), and Canada (22) are back for their sixth. The Czech Republic (15), Nicaragua (16), Great Britain (18), Israel (19), and Brazil (23) will round out the 20-team field.
Brazil returns for the first time since 2013. Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic each made their debut in 2023. Israel and Colombia will participate in their third straight WBC.
China will not appear in the 2026 WBC after going 0-3 in the second qualifying round in Tucson, Arizona, marking the first time they have missed the tournament since its inception in 2006.
Geographic Distribution
WBSC Americas sector teams include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic.
WBSC Europe sector teams are Italy, Israel, Great Britain, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
WBSC Asia is represented by Japan, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea. Australia represents the Oceania sector.
Every participating country has played in a previous WBC tournament.
The 2023 WBC was delayed from its original 2021 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the 2026 tournament back one year from 2025.
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
