The World Baseball Classic is baseball’s premier international competition. Featuring professional baseball players from 20 nations, the biggest names in Major League Baseball will take the world stage to represent their home countries.
Shohei Ohtani will lead the reigning champions, Team Japan, while Team USA will be looking for revenge after losing the last competition to Japan — and they’ve added award-winning MLB players in Aaron Judge, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes to the roster in an effort to claim the title this time around.
The two-week tournament will be played in the United States, Puerto Rico and Japan. Here’s your guide to the full World Baseball Classic schedule.
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World Baseball Classic Schedule
Here’s a breakdown of the full schedule for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
When Does the World Baseball Classic Start?
The World Baseball Classic starts on March 5, 2026 (March 4 in the United States).
Before the pool play starts, there will also be a handful of Exhibition games in the US on March 3-4, with MLB teams playing against WBC teams as part of MLB Spring Training.
Tournament Schedule
The first round of the World Baseball Classic, known as pool play, runs from March 5-11, 2026. This round works similarly to the Group Stage of a soccer tournament like the World Cup, with the top teams from each pool advancing to the knockout stage. Each team will play four games during the pool play round, with standings determined by winning percentage.
Pool A – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Teams:
- Puerto Rico (Host)
- Cuba
- Canada
- Panama
- Colombia
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Pool A Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Where to Watch |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Cuba vs Panama | FS2 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Puerto Rico vs Colombia | FS2 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Colombia vs Canada | FS2 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Panama vs Puerto Rico | FS1 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Colombia vs Cuba | FOX |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Panama vs Canada | FS2 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 11:00 AM | Colombia vs Panama | FS2 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Cuba vs Puerto Rico | FS1 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 6:00 PM | Canada vs Puerto Rico | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 2:00 PM | Canada vs Cuba | FS2 |
Pool B – Arlington, Texas
Teams:
- United States (Host)
- Mexico
- Italy
- Great Britain
- Brazil
Venue: Daikin Park
Pool B Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Where to Watch |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 1:00 PM | Mexico vs Great Britain | FS1 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 8:00 PM | United States vs Brazil | FOX |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 1:00 PM | Brazil vs Italy | — |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Great Britain vs United States | FS1 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 1:00 PM | Great Britain vs Italy | TUBI |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Brazil vs Mexico | FS1 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 1:00 PM | Brazil vs Great Britain | TUBI |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Mexico vs United States | FOX |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 9:00 PM | Italy vs United States | FS1 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 7:00 PM | Italy vs Mexico | TUBI |
Pool C – Tokyo, Japan
Teams:
- Japan (Host)
- Australia
- South Korea
- Czechia
- Chinese Taipei
Venue: Tokyo Dome
Pool C Schedule & TV Information
| Date (ET) | Time (ET) | Matchup | Where to Watch |
| Mar 4, 2026 | 10:00 PM | Chinese Taipei vs Australia | FS1 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | 5:00 AM | Czechia vs South Korea | FS1 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | 10:00 PM | Australia vs Czechia | FS1 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 5:00 AM | Japan vs Chinese Taipei | FS1 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 10:00 PM | Chinese Taipei vs Czechia | FS2 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 5:00 AM | South Korea vs Japan | FS1 |
| Mar 7, 2026 | 10:00 PM | Chinese Taipei vs South Korea | FS2 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 5:00 AM | Australia vs Japan | FS1 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 5:00 AM | South Korea vs Australia | FS1 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | 5:00 AM | Czechia vs Japan | FS1 |
Pool D – Miami, Florida
Teams:
- Venezuela
- Dominican Republic
- Netherlands
- Israel
- Nicaragua
Venue: LoanDepot Park
Pool D Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Where to Watch |
| March 6, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET | Netherlands vs. Venezuela | TUBI |
| March 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic | FS2 |
| March 7, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET | Nicaragua vs. Netherlands | TUBI |
| March 7, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Israel vs. Venezuela | FS2 |
| March 8, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET | Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic | FS2 |
| March 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Nicaragua vs. Israel | TUBI |
| March 9, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET | Dominican Republic vs. Israel | FS1 |
| March 9, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Venezuela vs. Nicaragua | FS2 |
| March 10, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Israel vs. Netherlands | — |
| March 11, 2026 | 8:00 PM ET | Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela | FS1 |
Quarterfinals
After pool play concludes on March 11, the top teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination knockout stage. Here’s the complete schedule for the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship game.
The quarterfinal round features a unique scheduling arrangement: if the United States advances, they will play their quarterfinal on March 13, while if Japan advances, they will play on March 14, regardless of their pool stage position.
Matchup Format:
- Runner-up Pool A vs. Winner Pool B
- Runner-up Pool C vs. Winner Pool D
- Runner-up Pool B vs. Winner Pool A
- Runner-up Pool D vs. Winner Pool C
Quarterfinals Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Venue | Where to Watch |
| Mar 13, 2026 | 6:30 PM | Runner-up Pool C vs Winner Pool D | LoanDepot Park | FS2 |
| Mar 13, 2026 | 8 PM | Runner-up Pool B vs Winner Pool A | Daikin Park | FOX |
| Mar 14, 2026 | 3 PM | Runner-up Pool A vs Winner Pool B | Daikin Park | FS1 |
| Mar 14, 2026 | 9 PM | Runner-up Pool D vs Winner Pool C | LoanDepot Park | FOX |
Semifinals
Both semifinal games will be played at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, with winners advancing to the World Baseball Classic Championship.
Semifinals Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Venue | Where to Watch |
| Mar 15, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Winner QF1 vs Winner QF2 | LoanDepot Park | FS1 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 | LoanDepot Park | FS1 |
Championship Game
The 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship will be held at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.
Championship Schedule & TV Information
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Venue | Where to Watch |
| Mar 17, 2026 | 8:00 PM | Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | LoanDepot Park | FS1 |
Who won the last World Baseball Classic?
Team Japan defeated Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Watch the World Baseball Classic on DIRECTV
Get ready to root for Team USA or your favorite country and catch every hit, homer and foul ball of the 2026 World Baseball Classic on DIRECTV. Sign up today!
And don’t forget: You can watch MLB baseball every day during the 2026 season on DIRECTV!
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 5. Pool play will take place in four venues in the United States, Puerto Rico and Japan.
Is the WBC every 3 or 4 years?
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is typically played every three years.
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