World Baseball Classic Qualifiers: Everything You Need To Know

While the next World Baseball Classic is still a year away, fans of international baseball can get their fix this winter by following the qualifying tournaments for the 2026 WBC.

In two separate tournaments this February and March, eight teams from around the world will compete for four spots in next year’s WBC.

Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming WBC qualifiers.

When Are the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers?

The 2026 WBC qualifiers consist of two separate tournaments of four teams each. The first tournament will take place from February 21-25, 2025, in Taipei, Taiwan. The second tournament is scheduled for the following week, from March 2–6, 2025, in Tuscon, Arizona.

Games in the first tournament will take place at either 12:00 pm or 7:00 pm Taipei Standard Time. In the second tournament, games will begin at either 11:00 am or 6:00 pm Mountain Standard Time.

Where Are the WBC Qualifiers Taking Place?

The first qualifying tournament, featuring the national teams from Taiwan, Nicaragua, Spain, and South Africa, will be played at Taipei Dome in Taipei, Taiwan.

The second qualifying tournament, featuring the national teams from Colombia, Germany, China, and Brazil, will be played at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Which Countries Are Playing in the WBC Qualifiers?

The eight participants in this year’s two qualifying tournaments will be:

• Chinese Taipei, Nicaragua, Spain, and South Africa.
• Colombia, Germany, China, and Brazil

Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Nicaragua, and China competed in the 2023 WBC but did not place high enough to earn automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament.

South Africa competed in the inaugural WBC in 2006 and returned to the tournament in 2009. They have not qualified since.

Brazil and Spain each competed in the 2013 tournament, placing 14th and 15th, respectively. Germany has never qualified for the WBC.

Rosters

On February 3, the WBC officially announced the rosters for the four teams playing in the first qualifying tournament. You can find their rosters at the links below:

• Chinese Taipei
• Nicaragua
• Spain
• South Africa

Tournament Structure

Both qualifying tournaments will be structured the same way. Over the first three days, all four teams will play one another round-robin style.

After the opening round of the tournament is complete, the team in first place will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, while the team in last place will be eliminated. The second and third-place teams will play a winner-takes-all final match, with the winning team earning the last available spot in the 2026 WBC.

Who Are the Favorites To Win the Qualifying Tournaments?

Four spots are up for grabs in next year’s World Baseball Classic. Those spots will go to the winner and runner-up from each of this year’s two qualifying tournaments.

The clear favorite to win the first tournament is Chinese Taipei. It helps that they also happen to be the hosts. The Chinese Taipei national baseball team has participated in all five WBC tournaments and currently ranks No. 2 in the world according to the World Baseball Softball Confederation.

The favorite isn’t quite as clear-cut in the second tournament. China is a strong contender, considering they have competed in all five WBC tournaments.

However, China’s world ranking (No. 20) is currently quite low. Meanwhile, Colombia is the highest-ranked country in the group, and the Colombian team has competed in each of the past two WBC tournaments.

Complete Schedule for WBC Qualifying Round

Taipei, Taiwan