World Baseball Classic 2026: List Of Qualified Teams

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The World Baseball Classic 2026 is all set to go rolling. 

Twenty teams will feature in the competition out of which 16 sides have secured their spot by finishing in the top four of their pool in the 2023 tournament. The other four teams must claim their spot through two qualifier tournaments. 

Nicaragua and Chinese Taipei already came through the first qualifier held in Taipei. The remaining two teams will be determined in the second qualifier, being held in Tucson, Arizona, from 2–6 March 2025 which will feature Brazil, Colombia, People’s Republic of China, and Germany. Germany is the only one of those four nations to have never qualified for the World Baseball Classic.

The World Baseball Classic 2026 will be held across four locations: Tokyo, Japan; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Houston, Texas; and Miami, Florida, from 5 to 17 March 2026. 

Japan are the defending champions.

World Baseball Classic 2026: List Of Qualified Teams
Image: AP

Also Read: What are the different fielding positions in Baseball?

List of the teams which have qualified for World Baseball Classic 2026

Team Qualification 2023 WBC result Best result
Japan 2023 WBC: Pool B winner Champion Champion (2006, 2009, 2023)
United States of America 2023 WBC: Pool C runner-up Runner-up Champion (2017)
Cuba 2023 WBC: Pool A winner Semi-finalist Runner-up (2006)
Mexico 2023 WBC: Pool C winner Semi-finalist Semi-finals (2023)
Venezuela 2023 WBC: Pool D winner Quarter-finalist Semi-finals (2009)
Italy 2023 WBC: Pool A runner-up Quarter-finalist Quarter-finals (2013, 2023)
Australia 2023 WBC: Pool B runner-up Quarter-finalist Quarter-finals (2023)
Puerto Rico 2023 WBC: Pool D runner-up Quarter-finalist Runner-up (2013, 2017)
Netherlands 2023 WBC: Pool A third place Pool phase Semi-finals (2013, 2017)
Republic of Korea 2023 WBC: Pool B third place Pool phase Runner-up (2009)
Canada 2023 WBC: Pool C third place Pool phase Pool phase
Dominican Republic 2023 WBC: Pool D third place Pool phase Champion (2013)
Panama 2023 WBC: Pool A fourth place Pool phase Pool phase
Czechia 2023 WBC: Pool B fourth place Pool phase Pool phase
Great Britain 2023 WBC: Pool C fourth place Pool phase Pool phase
Israel 2023 WBC: Pool D fourth place Pool phase Quarter-finals (2017)
Nicaragua 2025 Qualifier in Taipei: Pool winner Pool phase Pool phase
Chinese Taipei 2025 Qualifier in Taipei: Game 7 winner Pool phase Second round (2013)
TBC 2025 Qualifier in Tucson: Pool winner
TBC 2025 Qualifier in Tucson: Game 7 winner