The Federacion de Beisbol de Puerto Rico announced that Yadier Molina will manage Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for the second straight tournament, following his retirement from the St. Louis Cardinals after the 2022 season.
¡Repite #ElLíder! 🫡⚾️🇵🇷
Yadier Molina repite como dirigente de #LosNuestros para el @WBCBaseball.
Con su liderazgo, experiencia y compromiso patrio, Puerto Rico se prepara para escribir un nuevo capítulo en su historia.#TeamRubio pic.twitter.com/TqbIjA2XAy
— Federación de Béisbol 🇵🇷 (@BeisbolPR) June 18, 2025
Puerto Rico will play in Pool A of the 2026 WBC against Canada, Cuba, Panama, and a qualifier nation at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan from March 6–11.
Puerto Rico is ranked No. 9 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s global rankings.
The FBPR announced on January 3 that Carlos Beltran will serve as general manager and Joey Sola as chief operating officer for the national team.
¡Comenzamos la ruta hacia el @WBCBaseball! ⚾️🇵🇷
Nos enorgullece anunciar los nombramientos de Joey Solá como gerente de operaciones y Carlos Beltrán como gerente general del Equipo Nacional para el Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2026. #LosNuestros pic.twitter.com/hVWP93ODDC
— Federación de Béisbol 🇵🇷 (@BeisbolPR) January 3, 2025
Molina was named Manager of the Year for the 2024-25 regular season in LIDOM with the Aguilas Cibaenas. He has also managed two seasons in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente with the Criollos de Caguas, helping the club reach the 2024 Caribbean Series at loanDepot Park in Miami. His first professional managing experience came with Navegantes del Magallanes during the 2022-23 season in the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional.
Molina was at the helm for Puerto Rico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic and led a coaching staff that included bench coach Alex Cintron, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, assistant hitting coach Juan Gonzalez, pitching coach Ricky Bones, first base coach Jose Molina, third base coach Luis Rivera, and bullpen coach Jose Rosado.
“We understand the importance of beginning work early in order to identify the best talent and structure a competitive team for this event that is highly anticipated by all of Puerto Rico. The experience and leadership of Carlos Beltran and Joey Sola will be essential to guarantee success in this mission,” said FBPR President Jose Quiles on the federation’s website in early January, also quoted by media outlets across the Caribbean.
Sola, who serves as sports manager for the Cangrejeros de Santurce in the LBPRC, was formerly dean of students at the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy & High School. He worked for the Houston Astros for 15 years as a scout and is credited with signing Carlos Correa and Kike Hernandez.
In the 2023 WBC, Molina helped Puerto Rico reach the quarterfinals in Miami before falling to Mexico 5-4.
Beltran and Molina both played in four WBC tournaments for Puerto Rico — in 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2017. Venezuela’s Miguel Cabrera is the only player to appear in five.
In 2006, Molina batted .600 across four games with three hits and a 1.200 OPS. In 2009, he hit .167 over three games with one double and two RBI. He was named to the All-WBC Team in both 2013 and 2017. In 2013, Puerto Rico lost 3-0 to the Dominican Republic in the championship at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Molina hit .259 over seven games. In 2017, Puerto Rico fell 8-0 to the United States in the final at Dodger Stadium, with Molina hitting .333 and adding two home runs.
Molina played for the Cardinals from 2004 to 2022, earning 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles, nine Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and the Roberto Clemente Award.
According to Grandes en los Deportes in the Dominican Republic on January 3, Carlos Delgado and Hall-of-Famers Ivan Rodriguez, Roberto Alomar, and Edgar Martinez will join Puerto Rico’s operations staff.
Carlos Beltrán informa que Carlos Delgado, Iván Rodríguez, Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez ente otros, estarán en el staff de operaciones del equipo boricua.
— Grandes en los Deportes (@GrandesELD) January 3, 2025
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
The United States, Italy, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil will compete at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas from March 6-11 in Pool B.
The Dominican Republic, Israel, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and the Netherlands will play at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla. in Pool D from March 6-11.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C.
The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.
The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up will play the Pool C winner on March 14.
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
The schedule for the 2026 @WBCBaseball is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/B5MvUIrZK5
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 9, 2025
Japan is ranked at No. 1 in the World Baseball Rankings and will play in their sixth WBC. Chinese Taipei hails at No. 2. and will play in their sixth event. Venezuela at No. 3 and will appear for the sixth time at the WBC. Mexico is at No. 4 and will play in their sixth WBC. The United States is at No. 5 and will appear for the sixth time in the WBC. South Korea is labeled at No. 6 and will play in their sixth WBC.
The Netherlands at No. 7 will play in the WBC for the sixth time. Panama at No. 8 will play at the event for the fourth time. Puerto Rico crawling in at No. 9 will appear for the sixth time. Cuba is at No. 10 and will appear in the sixth WBC. The Dominican Republic at No. 11 will play in their sixth event. Australia pipelines at No. 12 and will play for the sixth time at the WBC.
Colombia at No. 13 and will appear in their third WBC. Italy is at No. 14 and will play in their sixth event The Czech Republic at No. 15 will appear in their second WBC. Nicaragua is ranked at No. 16 and will appear in the WBC for the second-time.
Great Britain at No. 18 will play for the second time at the WBC. Israel is ranked at No. 19 and will play in their third WBC. Canada is at No. 22 and will play in their sixth event. Brazil is ranked at No. 23 and will play in their second WBC.
In the 2023 WBC, Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic played in their first event. Israel and Colombia have played in three consecutive WBC events dating back to 2017. Brazil is appearing in the WBC for the first time since 2013. Panama has played in the WBC previously in 2006, 2009 and 2023, prior to 2026.
China will not be participating for the first time in the WBC since they did not qualify in the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., while going 0-3. They have been in the WBC since 2006, in the event’s first year.
The teams that are playing in the 2026 WBC and are part of the WBSC Americas sector are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. In the WBSC Europe sector, Italy, Israel, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands are participating in the 2026 event.
Japan, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea are in the WBSC Asia sector and Australia is in the WBSC Oceania sector.
All the other listed remaining countries have played in the WBC since its first year in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated on https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/venues with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
If teams end up with the same record in pool play the Total Quality Balance run differential rule will be in effect for runs for and runs against alongside the head-to-head record.
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
