On Tuesday, the official venues and group assignments were announced for the 2025 Copa América de Béisbol, a key tournament with major international implications.
Group A: Venezuela Host venues – Group A games will be played at Estadio Monumental de Caracas Simón Bolívar, widely regarded as one of the premier baseball venues in Latin America. The stadium previously hosted the 2023 Caribbean Series and is also set to host the 2026 edition.
The second venue for Group A is Estadio Jorge Luis García Carneiro in La Guaira, Venezuela, which will also co-host the 2026 Caribbean Series. Both stadiums bring recent experience hosting major international events.
Group A will include Venezuela, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Curacao.
Group B: Panama’s New Stadium Takes the Stage – Group B games will be held at Estadio de Béisbol Mariano Rivera in La Chorrera, Panama. Opened in 2024 with a capacity of 10,000, this marks the biggest event hosted at the new stadium to date, highlighting Panama’s growing role in international baseball.
Group B will include Panama, the United States, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Canada, and Brazil.
What’s at Stake – This edition of the Copa América de Béisbol carries significant consequences beyond regional bragging rights. It will be the final opportunity for national teams to earn a top-12 spot in the WBSC World Rankings before the Premier12 cutoff. A strong showing could allow teams to avoid Premier12 qualifying tournaments altogether.
For teams like Canada (ranked 20th) and Brazil (21st), the tournament is crucial. The top 12 teams in the WBSC rankings at the end of 2025 will automatically qualify for the 2027 Premier12, while teams ranked 13–18, along with two wild cards, will go to the qualifiers. With the 2027 Premier12 expected to serve as a qualifier for the 2028 Olympic Games, this Copa América is a key stepping stone in the Olympic path.
Additional Qualification Implications – Four berths will be awarded for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. Five berths will be allocated for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Both events are expected to be part of the long-term Olympic qualification pathway for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Eligibility Rules – Only players not on MLB 40-man rosters are eligible to participate. This includes players in the minor leagues, independent leagues, international leagues, and other professional circuits outside of MLB organizations.
Olympic Qualifier Format Coming Soon – In October, the WBSC will officially announce the full Olympic qualification system, clarifying the route teams must take to reach Los Angeles 2028. The 2025 Copa América de Béisbol is expected to play a major role in shaping that path.
Photo: Estadio La Rinconada in Caracas, Venezuela, will host a portion of Group A play in the 2025 Copa America.
