While it’s still eleven months away, the International Softball Federation’s (ISF) XI Women’s World Championship is well on its way toward being another successful event.
To-date, seven of the 16 teams that will participate have already been determined. From Asia, in addition to the host (China), Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, and Japan have all qualified. And, Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands have emerged as the teams that will represent Europe.
Later this year, the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women will take place in Guatemala, where the top five teams will qualify for next year’s Women’s World Championship. A total of 17 teams from the Americas will compete from November 25 – December 4 in the event in Central America to not only determine which of them will play at next year’s event in Beijing, but which (eight) will play at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio.
The 17 teams slated to play in the VI Pan American Softball Championship for Women are: Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, USA, and Venezuela.
Qualifying information is still being determined for Africa and Oceania.
In the meantime, construction is underway in Beijing on the stadium that will not only host the 2006 ISF Women’s World Championship (Aug. 20-29), but the softball competition at the 2008 Olympic Games. The Women’s World Championship is one of the qualifiers for the Olympics.
