The World Baseball Classic of 2026 has announced its host cities, with LoanDepot Park in Miami hosting the championship round. Major League Baseball announced that Miami, San Juan, Tokyo, and Houston will host the group stage. Houston and Miami will also host the quarterfinals, with Miami being the location for the semifinals and championship game.
This will be the second consecutive time that LoanDepot Park hosts the semifinals and championship. In the 2023 event, Japan defeated the United States 3-2 in a memorable final where Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout faced off in the top of the ninth inning. Tokyo is the only city to have hosted at least one round of the World Baseball Classic since its inception in 2006. Miami has been a consistent host city since 2009.
The 2023 tournament featured a record 20 national teams, and the 2026 event will also feature 20 clubs, with 16 spots already accounted for by top finishers in pool play. Countries like Canada, Cuba, and more have already qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The final four spots will be determined at qualifying tournaments in 2025. Japan has had the most success at WBC tournaments, winning gold three times, while Puerto Rico and South Korea have also won medals. Official details about qualifying tournaments and start date of WBC are yet to be released
