The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to conclude with its championship game on March 17 at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. Semifinals are also scheduled at the venue the previous weekend.[1][2]
Venezuela and the United States are among the 20 qualified teams for the tournament, which runs from March 6 to 17. Pool play begins March 6, with the top two teams from each of four pools advancing to quarterfinals in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Tokyo, Japan.[1]
Past WBC champions are Japan (2006, 2009, 2023), the Dominican Republic (2013) and the United States (2017). Venezuela has reached the quarterfinals twice but has not won the title.[3]
Key Venezuelan players could include infielder Eugenio Suárez (Arizona Diamondbacks), outfielder Wilyer Abreu (Boston Red Sox) and pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (Arizona Diamondbacks).[4][5]
Team USA features stars such as Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies) and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees). Rosters are expected to be announced closer to the event.[3]
A circulating draft report described a 3-2 Venezuela victory over the United States in the final, featuring a solo home run by Abreu, a go-ahead RBI double by Suárez and a late two-run homer by Harper. These details remain unconfirmed, as the tournament has not yet been played.[6]
Sources
- MLB.com
World Baseball Classic 2026 pools announced
March 12, 2024
https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-pools-announced - MLB.com
World Baseball Classic 2026 semifinal, championship venues announced
May 16, 2024
https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-semifinal-championship-venues - World Baseball Classic official site
Tournament history
Accessed October 2024
https://www.worldbaseballclassic.com/history - MLB.com
Eugenio Suárez player page
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/player/eugenio-suarez-533096 - MLB.com
Wilyer Abreu player page
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/player/wilyer-abreu-666759