The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to take place in several venues across the globe, with Houston’s Minute Maid Park hosting games for the first time. Japan’s Tokyo Dome will also return as a host, while Miami’s loanDepot Park will once again host games in all three rounds of the tournament. Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium will mark its first appearance since 2013, with each venue hosting one of the four pools in the first round of play.
Minute Maid Park and loanDepot Park will then host the quarterfinals, with the final stages of the tournament taking place at loanDepot Park in Miami. Astros owner Jim Crane expressed his excitement and gratitude for being able to host World Baseball Classic games at Minute Maid Park for the first time. He praised Houston as a global city with passionate baseball fans and expressed pride in welcoming fans from around the world to watch international competition at their home venue.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic saw Japan emerge victorious over the United States in the finals and marked an expansion of the field of teams from 16 to 20. The top 16 teams from the 2023 tournament will return to compete in the 2026 WBC, with four additional teams earning their place through qualifying events scheduled for 2025.
