The biggest event in global baseball is fast approaching. Twenty teams spread all across the globe will soon face off for the chance to call themselves World Baseball Classic champions. With the start of the tournament in March fast approaching, here is all the information you need to get ready. We’ll also be updating this page as more information becomes available the closer we get to the tournament.
When does the World Baseball Classic begin?
The tournament will begin on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome (March 4 at 10 p.m. ET in the United States) with Chinese Taipei and Australia playing in the very first game. The other pools -- located at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Daikin Park in Houston; and loanDepot park in Miami -- will begin play on March 6.
How can I get tickets?
Tickets for the games in San Juan are on sale now. Information for Pool C can be found here. Single-game tickets for the general public for the Tokyo, Houston and Miami pools will go on sale on Jan. 15.
How to watch?
World Baseball Classic games in the United States will be available to watch and stream on FOX Media, including FOX, FS1, FS2, the FOX Sports App, FOX One and Tubi. Japanese-language games in Japan will be available on Netflix. More tune-in info
What is the format of the tournament?
Each pool -- Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami -- features five teams playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals. The teams that advance from Tokyo will go to Miami, and the teams from San Juan will play in Houston.
The winners of the quarterfinal games will then meet in Miami for the semifinals and championship round. The championship will be held on March 17.
How did the teams qualify for the tournament?
The top four teams from each pool in 2023 automatically secured their place in the 2026 tournaments. The teams that finished in last place had to play in Qualifiers held this past March. Chinese Taipei and Nicaragua clinched their spots from the Taipei Qualifier. Colombia and Brazil advanced from the Tucson Qualifier.
Who is playing in the tournament?
A number of stars have already committed to the World Baseball Classic and should play barring any unforeseen injuries. 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP Shohei Ohtani is back; Francisco Lindor will captain Puerto Rico, while Salvador Perez will guide Venezuela; and the United States are trying to bounce back from its 2023 second-place finish with a veritable who's who of big league superstars.
However, while you may have seen a lot of rumors swirling online, teams only recently submitted their provisional rosters. Rosters will not be finalized and confirmed until early February. We'll have more information on that soon.
What are some of the storylines to look out for?
There are exciting reasons to follow each and every team in the tournament, but here is a quick bulletpoint list for some of the biggest storylines that could dominate the 2026 tournament.
- Japan is the only nation to win multiple World Baseball Classic tournaments and it's done it three times. Can it go back to back and collect a fourth?
- Can the USA, bringing its most talented roster in Classic history, get revenge and win its first title since 2017?
- Will powerhouses the Dominican Republic (2013 champions) and Korea (semifinalists in 2006 and runners-up in 2009) bounce back after failing to advance out of the group stage in 2023?
- How will the fan favorite Czech Republic, bringing a team of amateur ballplayers -- remember, it was electrical worker Ondřej Satoria who struck out Ohtani in one of the '23 Classic's most iconic moments -- fare in its second World Baseball Classic appearance?
- Can Chinese Taipei follow up its 2024 Premier12 gold medal -- the first gold ever won by the team -- with a championship run in '26?
- What will beloved manager Dusty Baker bring to Nicaragua, which is playing in its second consecutive World Baseball Classic?
- Can Puerto Rico finally win it all after placing second in 2013 and '17?
- Every year, a team manages to surprise. Mexico did it in 2023, coming a Munetaka Murakami RBI double away from reaching the championship. Who will it be in '26?
We could easily continue to list out fascinating stories and important rivalries for every team, but we'll stop there for now. For more information on the tournament and international baseball please check out WorldBaseballClassic.com, and @wbcbaseball on X, Instagram, and Facebook.