The biggest event in global baseball is fast approaching. And with the tournament just one month away, the rosters for the 20 teams competing for the title of the world’s greatest are set to be announced on MLB Network on Thursday night. Fans who want to see the Roster Reveal show can tune in beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Each team’s entire 30-man rosters will be released that evening.
Read on below for everything else you need to know about the tournament, which is entering its sixth edition. We’ll also be updating this page as more information becomes available the closer we get to the tournament.
When does the World Baseball Classic begin?
The tournament will begin on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome (March 4 at 10 p.m. ET in the United States) with Chinese Taipei and Australia playing in the very first game. The other pools — located at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Daikin Park in Houston; and loanDepot park in Miami — will begin play on March 6.
How can I get tickets?
Single game tickets are now available for all groups. Click here for more information.
How to watch?
World Baseball Classic games in the United States will be available to watch and stream on FOX Media, including FOX, FS1, FS2, the FOX Sports App, FOX One and Tubi. Japanese-language games in Japan will be available on Netflix. More information on where to watch around the world will be shared soon.
What is the format of the tournament?
Each pool — Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami — features five teams playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals. The teams that advance from Tokyo will go to Miami, and the teams from San Juan will play in Houston.
The winners of the quarterfinal games will then meet in Miami for the semifinals and championship round. The championship will be held on March 17.
Full roster information will be available on Thursday night following MLB Network’s Roster Reveal show.
Will there be a pitch clock?
Yes! For the first time in tournament history, the World Baseball Classic will use a pitch clock. The timer will follow Major League rules: Pitchers will have 15 seconds to deliver the pitch with the bases empty and 18 seconds when runners are on. Batters will need to be ready and in the box with at least 8 seconds on the clock.
Will there be the Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS)?
No, ABS will not be used at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
How will pitcher use limitations and pitch count work?
As fans from previous tournaments know, the pitch count rules are extremely important. The skipper who can best manage his pitching staff and the days off required in between appearances will usually go far in the tournament. Here is a brief overview of how this will work:
– Pitchers cannot throw more than 65 pitches in a single game in the First Round of the tournament, 80 pitches in the Quarter Final round and 95 pitches in the Championship Round. However, pitchers can pass this limit to complete a batter’s plate appearance.
– Pitchers who throw 50 or more pitches in a single contest, will be required to have a minimum of four days’ rest before he can be used again. 30 or more pitches will require one day of rest, and pitchers who throw on consecutive days will also be required to rest for a day before pitching again.
Yes, games in the First Round and Quarterfinal Round will end when a team leads by 10 or more runs after the completion of the seventh inning, or 15 or more runs after the fifth inning.
How will the tiebreakers work?
How will teams qualify for the next tournament? How will teams be relegated from the tournament?
The top four teams from each pool — meaning the top 16 teams in the tournament — will automatically qualify for the next World Baseball Classic. The team who finishes in last place in each pool will be relegated and will need to re-qualify for a future tournament.
What are some of the storylines to look out for?
There are exciting reasons to follow each and every team in the tournament, but here is a quick bulletpoint list for some of the biggest storylines that could dominate the 2026 tournament.
We could easily continue to list out fascinating stories and important rivalries for every team, but we’ll stop there for now. For more information on the tournament and international baseball please check out WorldBaseballClassic.com, and @wbcbaseball on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
