WBSC reveals sponsorship line-up for upcoming U-18 Baseball World Cup

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today revealed its global sponsorship partners for the upcoming XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, which starts this Friday at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium and Bradenton's LECOM Park in Florida, USA.

“The line-up of great partners for our U-18 Baseball World Cup confirms that this competition is one of the best U-18 World Cups in all of sports,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “These partners also enhance the delivery, operation and on-field performance of the U-18 Baseball World Cup.”

Japan’s Nippon Express, a leading global logistics services company, officially becomes a WBSC Global Sponsor for all WBSC’s Baseball and Softball World Cups in 2022, including the U-18 Baseball World Cup.

JTB Corporation, one of the largest travel agencies in the world, is also confirmed as official tournament sponsor for the U-18 Baseball World Cup.

Iconic Japanese baseball brand SSK is supplying the official competition ball and umpire equipment.

Synergy Sports, an innovative company in baseball’s technology sector, will support with its coaching and scouting products and services.

While sports drink giant Gatorade will supply isotonic drink at the event and Panini America will develop baseball card products with autographs of the players participating in the tournament.

Baseball’s XXX U-18 World Cup will be contested over 50 games, with the world’s best young baseball prospects and teams set to compete over nine days of competition at LECOM Park and Ed Smith Stadium, spring training homes to Major League Baseball’s Pittsburg Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

Group A features host No. 5 USA, No. 3 Korea, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 12 Canada, No. 25 Brazil and No. 26 South Africa.

Group B features world No. 1 Japan, No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 4 Mexico, No. 10 Australia, No. 13 Panama and No. 17 Italy.

The top three teams from Group A will play the top three teams from Group B in the Super Round from 15-17 September, with the top two teams meeting 'For the Title of World Champion' on Sunday, 18 September.

Chinese Taipei heads into the competition as baseball’s defending U-18 World Champions.

Past players who have participated in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, along with its continental qualifiers, have gone on to become some of the biggest superstars in the sport.

The XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup had been originally set to take place in September 2021 and was since rescheduled to September 2022 due COVID-19 restrictions.