The 2026 World Baseball Classic has officially begun, bringing together top baseball talent from around the world for one of the sport’s biggest international tournaments. The sixth edition of the competition features 20 national teams competing across multiple host cities, with opening games taking place in Tokyo, Japan, while other matches are scheduled in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The tournament started in early March with the first matchup held at the Tokyo Dome, where teams began pool-stage games in front of packed crowds. International stars, including Japanese baseball icon Shohei Ohtani and several Major League Baseball players, are among the headline attractions drawing global attention to the event.
Pool matches are being played in Tokyo, Houston, Miami, and San Juan, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout rounds. The quarterfinals will be held in the United States before the semifinals and championship game take place in Miami, Florida later in the tournament.
Teams such as Japan, the United States, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela are considered strong contenders for the title. Fans across the globe are closely following the competition, which highlights baseball’s growing international appeal and the opportunity for countries to compete for global supremacy in the sport, news as reported.
