Team USA will open the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, the tournament announced Wednesday. The United States, which finished as the runner-up to Japan in 2023, will be in Pool B with Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and a to-be-determined qualifier, with games taking place from March 6 to 11.
In addition to the full pool assignments, the WBC announced quarterfinal rounds will take place in Houston and Miami on March 13 and 14, 2026, while the semifinals and championship rounds will take place in Miami from March 15 to 17. The championship game will be held March 17 at loanDepot Park.
Announcing the pools and schedule for the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic!
The opening round starts March 5, quarterfinals start March 13 and the championship round begins March 15! pic.twitter.com/tT5h848dcs
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) August 21, 2024
Defending champion Japan, which has won three of the five World Baseball Classics, will open the quarterfinals in Pool C in Tokyo, facing off against Japan, Australia, Korea, Czechia and a qualifier. Pool A will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and feature Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama and a qualifier.
Pool D is set for Miami with Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel and a qualifier rounding out the field.
The World Baseball Classic is usually held every three to four years around the MLB’s spring training in March. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, then still with the Los Angeles Angels, struck out his teammate Mike Trout on a full count in the bottom of the ninth to lift Japan past the USA to win by a score of 3-2 in 2023.
The United States won its only championship WBC game in 2017, defeating Puerto Rico 8-0, marking the largest margin of victory in event history.
The story will be updated.
Required reading
(Photo: Christopher Pasatieri / Getty Images)
