The World Baseball Classic is rapidly approaching and fans everywhere are hoping that this year's edition can match the electricity of the 2023 event that saw Japan walk away as champions after a classic in the final. It is unlikely that the chips are ever going to fall in a way that's more compelling than Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout with everything on the line, but baseball always does seem to deliver the drama.
This will be the fifth World Baseball Classic held since its inception in 2006 and this one features stacked rosters full of Major League Baseball talent. Since it happens every three years, it might be helpful to have a refresher on the format of the tournament.
World Baseball Classic Format
The World Baseball Classic field consists of 20 teams broken into four pools. Round-robin play will take place at the four locations: Tokyo, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Houston and Miami. Each team will play everyone else in its pool with the top two performers advancing to the quarterfinals. From there, it is a single-elimination bracket.
World Baseball Classic Pools
Pool A: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama and Puerto Rico
Pool B: Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico and United States
Pool C: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan and Korea
Pool D: Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua and Venezuela
World Baseball Classic Schedule
March 4
Chinese Taipei vs. Australia, 10 p.m. ET, Tokyo
March 5
Czechia vs. Korea, 5 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Australia vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. ET, Tokyo
March 6
Japan vs. Chinese Taipei, 5 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Cuba vs. Panama, 11 a.m. ET, San Juan
Netherlands vs. Venezuela, Noon ET, Miami
Mexico vs. Great Britain, 1 p.m. ET, Houston
Puerto Rico vs. Colombia, 6 p.m. ET, San Juan
Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic, 7 p.m. ET, Miami
United States vs. Brazil, 8 p.m. ET, Houston
Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. ET, Tokyo
March 7
Korea vs. Japan, 5 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Colombia vs. Canada, 11 a.m. ET, San Juan
Nicaragua vs. Netherlands, Noon ET, Miami
Brazil vs. Italy, 1 p.m. ET, Houston
Panama vs. Puerto Rico, 6 p.m. ET, San Juan
Isreal vs. Venezuela, 7 p.m. ET, Miami
Great Britain vs. United States, 8 p.m. ET, Houston
Chinese Taipei vs. Korea, 10 p.m. ET, Tokyo
March 8
Australia vs. Japan, 6 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Colombia vs. Cuba, Noon ET, San Juan
Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic, Noon ET, Miami
Great Britain vs. Italy, 1 p.m. ET, Houston
Nicaragua vs. Israel, 7 p.m. ET, Miami
Panama vs. Canada, 7 p.m. ET, San Juan
Brazil vs. Mexico, 8 p.m. ET, Houston
March 9
Korea vs. Australia, 6 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Dominican Republic vs. Isreal, Noon ET, Miami
Colombia vs. Panama, Noon ET, San Juan
Brazil vs. Germany, 1 p.m. ET, Houston
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m. ET, San Juan
Venezuela vs. Nicaragua, 7 p.m. ET, Miami
Mexico vs. United States, 8 p.m. ET, Houston
March 10
Czechia vs. Japan, 6 a.m. ET, Tokyo
Isreal vs. Netherlands, Noon ET, Miami
Canada vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m. ET, San Juan
Italy vs. United States, 9 p.m. ET, Houston
March 11
Canada vs. Cuba, 3 p.m. ET, San Juan
Italy vs. Mexico, 7 pm. ET, Houston
Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela, 8 p.m. ET, Miami
March 13
Quarterfinals
TBD vs. TBD, 6:30 p.m. ET, Miami
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET, Houston
March 14
Quarterfinals
TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. ET, Houston
TBD vs. TBD, 9 p.m. ET, Miami
March 15
Semifinals
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET, Miami
March 16
Semifinals
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET, Miami
March 17
Finals
TBD vs. TBD, 8 p.m. ET, Miami
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Full World Baseball Classic 2026 Schedule, Format and Pool Assignments.
