Your Guide To The 2026 World Baseball Classic

So… you just spent the last month engaged with sports you don’t usually care about at the Olympics. Curling, hockey, skiing – you were ready to show up, repping your country and snacking on popcorn as you yelled at the TV about a sport you didn’t really know that much about. 

But what about now? Besides the Paralympics (which you should totally be watching), what other national tournaments are there to celebrate? 

We’ll help you out: The World Baseball Classic!

Courtesy of mlb.com

History of the WBC

Held every four years since 2006, the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international tournament, where the winning team claims the World Baseball Championship Trophy. Following the same rules as any other typical Major League Baseball (MLB) game would, the tournament is a way for MLB players to represent their nations on a global scale. 

Since 2006, the WBC has been held 5 times, with Japan, the Dominican Republic, and the United States winning said championships. Japan has been a repeated winner three times, making them the only team with multiple wins. They are the most recent winners, as they took home the trophy at the 2023 tournament along with the 2006 and 2009 games. The United States won the 2017 WBC, and the Dominican Republic won in 2013, becoming the first and only team to finish with a perfect 8-0 record.

What makes the WBC unique is that it is the only tournament where MLB players are allowed to participate, as its timing is specifically designed during the MLB season’s spring training so that these athletes can compete. This allows for a ‘best on best’ vibe that the Olympics had, and allows us to watch some of our favorite players compete internationally!

Marcus Stroman and Team USA holding up their trophy after winning the WBC in 2017. Courtesy of upi.com

What To Look Out For In 2026 

Japan is the defending champs, and once again, their roster is solid. Headlined by 2024 and 2025 consecutive World Series winner Shohei Ohtani, they are set to make another solid run in 2026. Japan also has Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was just acquired by the Dodgers this year in a blockbuster move that sent him to the MLB. Many of Japan’s players are primarily seen in Japan’s professional baseball league, Nippon Professional Baseball, so even though we don’t recognize some of these names, they are set to have a very exciting tournament.

The United States is going to give them a run for their money, that's for sure! They have MLB stars Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, along with depth provided from veteran pitchers like Clayton Kershaw; it is decided they will be a tough opponent. The United States also has home-field advantage as the 2026 WBC is set to hold the championship round in Miami, Florida. 

Teams from the Americas (Canada, Brazil, Dominican Republic, among others) are also in a unique position: the top two teams – aside from the United States, as they are hosting – will qualify for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament. This will be the first time baseball is featured at the Olympics since 2020, and it’s a spot that many teams will be vying for, making the WBC this year all the more fun!

Aaron Judge (left) and Shohei Ohtani (right) playing for their respective teams in the 2023 WBC. Courtesy of bbc.com

Where To Watch 

The WBC spans from March 4th-19th which means there have already been some games played! The semifinals will be held March 15th and 16th, and the finals will be held March 17th at LoanDepot Park, home of the MLB’s Miami Marlins. ESPN and Fox Sports hold the majority of the media rights in the United States, so they are the primary sources to watch the games. 

We’re rooting for a good tournament all around, but no doubt it will be fun to watch Shohei Ohtani match up against Aaron Judge, and other star players we don’t see face off too often. The two powerhouse teams appear to be Japan and the United States, with the latter being dubbed the ‘dream team’ since so many more MLB players are competing this year. No matter the outcome, we’re in for a treat at this year's tournament.

The Olympics remind us every four years what it’s like to watch the ‘best on best’, and it’s a bittersweet feeling when they come to an end. But this year, even if it’s only for another two weeks, we get a little bit longer to root for our countries, and yell at the TV as if the umpires can hear us. We’re excited – and we hope you are, too! 

Edited by Olivia Feldgus