Scott Polacek @@ScottPolacek Featured Columnist IV August 21, 2024
Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Start clearing your March 2026 calendar now.
On Wednesday, the World Baseball Classic announced the bracket format, schedule and pools for the 2026 tournament. Each of the four pools will have five teams in it, play will begin on March 5 and the championship game will be on March 17:
World Baseball Classic @WBCBaseball
Announcing the pools and schedule for the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic!
The opening round starts March 5, quarterfinals start March 13 and the championship round begins March 15! pic.twitter.com/tT5h848dcs
The United States finds itself in Pool B alongside Mexico, Italy, Great Britain and a qualifier to be determined in the future. Reigning champion Japan is in Pool C with Australia, Korea, Czechia and an open qualifier spot.
The winner and runner-up from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals, which begin March 13. The semifinals will take place on March 15 and 16.
Having the tournament in March means Major League Baseball players can participate and not have to worry about missing any of the 2026 regular season. Those who do play will miss time in spring training, but they will still be participating in high-leverage baseball situations that should help them prepare for the upcoming campaign.
American fans will also have plenty of opportunities to see the games, as the Pool B games will take place in Houston.
From there, Miami and Houston will host the quarterfinals games. Miami will also host the semifinal games and the championship clash.
Baseball fans are surely hoping the 2026 tournament is as thrilling as the 2023 one.
There was no shortage of memorable moments, including Adam Jones helping preserve the Americans’ 4-2 lead in a win-or-go-home game against the Dominican Republic by robbing Manny Machado of a home run at the wall.
It all built toward the championship game between the United States and Japan, and the ending felt like something from a movie script. Mike Trout stepped to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning with the Americans trailing by a run and a chance to play the hero.
However, his then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani struck him out on a full count to give Japan the title.
It also gave Japan the opportunity to defend its crown in 2026.
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