How to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic: Schedule, TV and more

It’s been three years since Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout for the final out to win Japan’s championship in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The international tournament returns on Wednesday, with 20 teams competing in a format similar to the FIFA World Cup, with a group stage beginning in Asia, followed by the round of 16 and the championship match at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

Japan has won it three times (2006, 2009 and 2023), while the United States were crowned champions in 2017 and the Dominican Republic in 2013. The tournament is officially scheduled every four years, but it has been played at different intervals to accommodate world events: 2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023 and 2026. The 2021 edition has been suspended due to COVID-19.

2023 Most Valuable Player Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Aaron Judge top the list of stars who will compete.

Japan’s Shohei Ohtani reacts after taking a hit during an exhibition match against the Orix Buffaloes on Monday in Osaka, Japan.

(Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)

The United States is in Group B alongside Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico and Italy. On paper, the United States and Mexico are the favorites, although previous editions have shown that the tournament often produces unexpected results.

Mexico was one of the surprises of the previous edition, led by Randy Arozarena. The team beat the United States 11-5 in the group stage and beat Puerto Rico 5-4 in the quarterfinals, before losing 6-5 to Japan in the semifinals, the first time they had reached that stage.

The final rounds in the United States are scheduled with the quarterfinals on March 13-14, the semifinals on March 15-16 and the championship match on March 17.

The games will be broadcast in the United States on Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes.

Here are some key details about the WBC:

Notable rules:

• The World Baseball Classic will feature a pitch clock for the first time. Pitchers will have 15 seconds to throw a pitch with the bases empty and 18 seconds when a runner is on base. Batters must be in the box and ready to hit with at least eight seconds remaining.
• While the pitch clock is running, WBC will not use the Automatic Ball Striking System (ABS).
• Pitchers may throw no more than 65 pitches in a single game in the first round of the tournament, 80 pitches in the quarterfinals and 95 pitches in the championship round. Pitchers may exceed the limit to complete the appearance of a batter’s plate. Pitchers who throw 50 or more pitches in a game must be given a minimum of four days of rest before they can be used again. Those who throw at least 30 pitches will need a day of rest and pitchers who throw on consecutive days will also need to rest for a day before throwing again.
• Each team receives a designated pitcher pool, a reserve of up to six pitchers who can be called up after the first round of the WBC. Teams may replace up to four pitchers after the first round and up to two pitchers after the quarterfinal.
• During the first round and quarterfinals, matches will end when one team leads by 10 or more points after the end of the seventh inning or 15 or more points after the end of the fifth inning.

Dodgers on WBC rosters

Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks on February 25 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

Edwin Diaz (Puerto Rico)
Jake Gelof (Israel)
Hyeseong Kim (Korea)
Antonio Knowles (Great Britain)
Shawndrick Oduber (Netherlands)
Shohei Ohtani (Japan)
Will Smith (United States)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan)

Designated pitcher pool: Christian Suarez (Venezuela)

Angels on WBC lists

Japan’s Yusei Kikuchi throws a pitch during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes on Monday in Osaka, Japan.

(Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)

Sam Aldegheri (Italy)
Gustavo Campero (Colombia)
Yusei Kikuchi (Japan)
Matthieu Lugo (Puerto Rico)
Yoán Moncada (Cuba)
Samy Natera Jr. (Mexico)
Lucas Ramírez (Brazil)
Najer Victor (Great Britain)

Designated pitcher pool: Camden Minacci (Italy) and Francis Texido (Cuba)

Groups

American Aaron Judge talks with a coach before an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Arizona. Judge is one of the biggest stars of the World Baseball Classic.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

Group A (Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico)

• Puerto Rico (host)
• Canada
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Panama

Group B (Daikin Park, Houston)

• United States (host)
• Brazil
• Great Britain
• Italy
• Mexico

Group C (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo)

• Japan (host)
• Australia
• Chinese Taipei
• Czechia
• South Korea

Group D (LoanDepot Park, Miami)

• Dominican Republic
• Israel
• The Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Venezuela

The calendar

All games are listed in Pacific Time.

Wednesday March 4

Chinese Taipei vs Australia – 7 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes

Thursday March 5

Czechia vs. South Korea – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Australia vs Czech Republic – 7 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes

Friday March 6

Japan vs. Chinese Taipei – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Cuba vs Panama – 8 a.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Netherlands vs Venezuela – 9am – Tubi
Mexico vs Great Britain – 10 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Puerto Rico vs. Colombia – 3 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Nicaragua vs Dominican Republic – 4 p.m. – FS2
United States vs Brazil – 5 p.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes
Chinese Taipei vs Czechia – 7 p.m. – FS2

Saturday March 7

South Korea vs Japan – 2 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs Canada – 8 a.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Nicaragua vs Netherlands – 9am – Tubi
Brazil vs Italy – 10 a.m. – Fox Sports App
Panama vs. Puerto Rico – 3 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Israel vs. Venezuela – 4 p.m. – FS2
Great Britain vs. United States – 5 p.m. – Fox
Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea – 7 p.m. – FS2

Sunday March 8

Australia vs Japan – 3am – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs Cuba – 9am – FS2
Netherlands vs Dominican Republic – 9 a.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes
Great Britain – Italy – 10 a.m. – Tubi
Panama vs. Canada – 4 p.m. – FS2
Nicaragua vs Israel – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Brazil vs Mexico – 5 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes

Monday March 9

South Korea vs Australia – 3am – FS1/Fox Deportes
Colombia vs Panama – 9am – FS2
Dominican Republic vs Israel – 9 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Brazil vs Great Britain – 10 a.m. – Tubi
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico – 4 p.m. – FS1
Venezuela vs Nicaragua – 4 p.m. – FS2
Mexico vs United States – 5 p.m. – Fox/Fox Deportes

Tuesday March 10

Czechia vs Japan – 3 a.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes
Canada vs Puerto Rico – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Israel vs. Netherlands – 4 p.m. – Fox Sports/Fox Deportes app
Italy vs United States – 6 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes

Wednesday March 11

Canada vs. Cuba – 12 p.m. – FS2/Fox Deportes
Italy vs Mexico – 4 p.m. – Tubi
Dominican Republic vs Venezuela – 5 p.m. – FS1/Fox Deportes

Quarter-finals

• Second place in Group C versus winner of Group D (March 13 in Miami)
• Second place in Group B versus winner of Group A (March 13 in Houston)
• Second place in Group A versus winner of Group B (March 14 in Houston)
• Second place in Group D versus winner of Group C (March 14 in Miami)

Semi-finals

• Semi-final 1 (March 15 in Miami)
• Semi-final 2 (March 16 in Miami)

Final

• March 17 in Miami, 5 p.m., Fox/Fox Deportes/Fox Sports app/Tubi