Manager Armando Johnson of Team Cuba looks on during pregame ceremonies before the 2023 World Baseball Classic Semifinal game between Team Cuba and Team USA at loanDepot Park on Sunday, March 19, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
Nineteen national baseball federations and the players for all 20 teams have received final payments for their results of the 2023 World Baseball Classic on July 7 from the World Baseball Softball Confederation, Major League Baseball, and World Baseball Classic Inc.
Yordano Carmona of Pelota Cubana reported that the Federacion Cubana de Beisbol will not receive any payments from either Major League Baseball, World Baseball Classic Inc., and the World Baseball Softball Confederation for their appearance last March – only the players that participated and were registered on Cuba’s roster will receive monetary payments from the organizers of the international senior event.
On July 7, Cuban Baseball Digest’s Yussef Diaz reported that the money that would have gone to the FCB is being held by the organizing bodies.
The total amount that was paid out to the 19 federations was $12.9 million, including an extra $1 million to Japan, the champion of the fifth World Baseball Classic. The FCB would have been paid $1.5 million for reaching the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic.
Each player for Cuba received $25,000, Diaz reported, which is consistent with Cuba’s players being awarded $300,000 for participating and another $400,000 for reaching the semifinals.
The 20 teams that participated in the tournament each received $300,000 for appearing in the international senior event, and 50% of the income received by each national team’s federation will be distributed to the 30 players listed on their roster at the start of the event, with the other half going to the federation.
The qualifying teams, Panama, Nicaragua, Great Britain and the Czech Republic, earned $300,000 for appearing in the 20-nation tournament field and were the four countries also that did not make it out of pool play.
The countries that did not make it out of the first round of pool play also earned $300,000, a list that includes the four qualifying teams, as well as the Netherlands, China, Korea, the Dominican Republic, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Israel, and Canada.
Australia, Italy and Puerto Rico earned $700,000 for appearing in the quarterfinals. Venezuela received $1 million for losing to the United States in the quarterfinals.
Mexico and Cuba finished in the semifinals in Miami at loanDepot Park, each earning $1.5 million. The United States being the finalists and finishing second at the 2023 World Baseball Classic earned $1.7 million.
Japan won their third World Baseball Classic, receiving $3 million.
World Baseball Classic Prize Money
| Finish | Prize Money (US$) | Total (US$) |
| Champion | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Finalist | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Semifinalist | $500,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Quarterfinalist | $400,000 | $3,200,000 |
| Pool Winner | $300,000 | $1,200,000 |
| Participant | $300,000 | $600,000 |
| Total | $14,400,000 | |