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.
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 |
