Baseball fans, rejoice! The 2026 World Baseball Classic officially begins on Wednesday with the start of pool play. Colombia and Brazil secured the final two spots in this year’s tournament in qualifiers, rounding out the field of 20 nations set to compete.
The action officially opens up with Chinese Taipei taking on Australia at 10 p.m. ET at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
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This year marks the sixth iteration of the international baseball tournament, held every four years, since its inception, with Japan sitting as the reigning champions after defeating Team USA 3-2 in the 2023 final.
The Americans have taken home one WBC title, back in 2017, and they’ll look to make it a second with a loaded roster that includes 22 MLB All-Stars — the most of any roster in the tournament. Among those who will represent Team USA are first-team All-MLB players Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge — just to name a few of the stars we can expect to see, with the U.S. currently the favorite (-105) over Japan (+350) at BetMGM.
During pool play, games will take place between Tokyo, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Miami and Houston. That pool stage runs through March 11, followed by the quarterfinals (March 13 and 14) and semifinals (March 15 and 16). It all culminates with the WBC final on March 17, which will be played at LoanDepot Park in Miami.
Games will air across Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes, with streaming for all games available with a Fox One subscription.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest news and updates coming out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Live5 updates
Wed, March 4, 2026 at 10:50 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Team USA will play in its final exhibition game Wednesday ahead of Friday’s World Baseball Classic opener against Brazil.
In their final tuneup, the U.S. will take on the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Here’s how they will line up for that contest:
That’s the same top five Team USA used in Tuesday’s contest. The bottom of the lineup, however, features four different players, all of who are probably trying to get some more at-bats ahead of Friday’s first official game.
Wed, March 4, 2026 at 9:00 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Pool D is set to begin play on March 6 in Miami. Among the teams in Pool D are:
Read more on each of the teams in Pool D … including tournament history, key players to watch (including ones you don’t know yet, but should), strengths and weaknesses.
Wed, March 4, 2026 at 8:30 AM PST
Chris Cwik
If Bobby Witt Jr. is anxious about the next couple of months, he’s not showing it. Why should he? Since his major-league debut in 2022, Witt has developed into one of the game’s most complete superstars, a true five-tool player capable of clubbing 30 home runs, stealing 30 bases, winning a batting title and playing exceptional defense at arguably the game’s toughest position every single season.
So when Witt takes the field for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, he won’t carry any nerves with him. Sure, there’s a lot at stake. Team USA is looking for revenge after a close, crushing loss to Japan in the 2023 WBC championship. Combine that with the U.S. Olympic team’s success at the Winter Olympics, and there’s a ton of pressure on Team USA to put those 2023 demons to rest and win the 2026 WBC.
To Witt, though, those heightened expectations only motivate him further to go out there and dominate.
“Pressure is a privilege,” he told Yahoo Sports. “It’s an honor to have that.”
Wed, March 4, 2026 at 8:00 AM PST
Jordan Shusterman, Jake Mintz
Wed, March 4, 2026 at 7:30 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Pool A is set to begin play on March 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Among the teams in Pool A are:
Read more on each of the teams in Pool A … including tournament history, key players to watch (including ones you don’t know yet, but should), strengths and weaknesses.