The Miami Marlins will host the WBC semifinal and championship rounds at loanDepot park. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Marlins to host 2023 World Baseball Classic final

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Jul 7, 2022 7:19 PM ET

The World Baseball Classic will return after a five-year absence in March 2023.

On Thursday, the Miami Marlins were revealed as hosts for the WBC semifinal and championship rounds.

The fifth WBC was scheduled for 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the event. The United States won the most recent WBC, defeating Puerto Rico in 2017.

The WBC released pools and schedules for the next spring's tournament; pools include five countries, four of which have already been selected, and a fifth qualifying team.

Pools and venues for the 2023 World Baseball Classic have been announced. Team USA will be in Pool C with Mexico, Colombia, Canada and a fifth team TBD. They will open pool play in Phoenix.

The semifinals and finals will be played in Miami at loanDepot Park, the Marlins stadium. pic.twitter.com/uuBRQ1bHWl
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) July 7, 2022

Pools A and B will kick off the tournament on March 8.

Pool A — including Chinese Taipei, Netherlands, Cuba and Italy — will play in Taichung, Taiwan. Meanwhile, Pool B — consisting of Japan, Korea, Australia and China — will play their games in Tokyo, Japan.

Pool C and Pool D begin play on March 11.

Pool C — featuring the USA, Mexico, Colombia and Canada — will play in Phoenix, Arizona. Pool D — including Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Israel — will play in Miami, Florida.

Tokyo, Japan (March 15 and 16) and Miami, Florida (March 17 and 18) will host the quarterfinals.

The semifinals (March 19 and 20) and the Championship (March 21) will be held in Miami at LoanDepot Park.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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