Team USA will open the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, the tournament announced Wednesday. The United States, which finished second to Japan in 2023, will be in Pool B with Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and a yet-to-be-determined qualifier, with games taking place March 6-11.
In addition to the full pool allocations, the WBC announced that the quarterfinal rounds will be held in Houston and Miami on March 13 and 14, 2026, while the semifinals and championship rounds will be held in Miami from March 15 to 17. The championship game will be played on March 17 at loanDepot Park.
Announcement of pools and schedule for 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic!
The opening round starts on March 5th, the quarterfinals start on March 13th and the championship round starts on March 15th! pic.twitter.com/tT5h848dcs
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) 21 August 2024
Defending champion Japan, who have won three of the five World Baseball Classics, will open the quarterfinals in Group C in Tokyo, facing Japan, Australia, Korea, the Czech Republic and a qualifier. Group A will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and includes Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama and a qualifier.
Pool D is planned for Miami, with the field of participants consisting of Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel and a qualifier.
The World Baseball Classic is usually held every three to four years around MLB spring training in March. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, then of the Los Angeles Angels, struck out teammate Mike Trout in the ninth inning on a full count to help Japan win 3-2 over the United States in 2023.
The United States won its only WBC championship match in 2017, defeating Puerto Rico 8-0, the largest victory in the event’s history.
The story is being updated.
Required reading
(Photo: Christopher Pasatieri / Getty Images)
