The XXVI IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup will be played in Taichung, Chinese Taipei from August 30 to September 8, 2013. Team USA is the defending champion, having defeated Canada in the Gold Medal Game of the 2012 IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup in Seoul, Korea.

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) is organizing 18U Baseball World Cups (formerly AAA) since 1981. Chinese Taipei will host an 18U Baseball World Cup for the second time after 2004. Cuba is the record title holder with 11 World Championships.

Besides finalists United States and Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Korea, Japan, Panama, Venezuela, Australia, Italy, Netherlands and Czech Republic participated in the IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup in Seoul last September.

It was a highly competitive tournament which saw several future professional baseball players participate including Nippon Professional Baseball’s first round draft picks Shohei Otani and Shintaro Fujinami.

Scouts from professional leagues in the US, Japan, Korea, Australia and Chinese Taipei attended the event.

National Federations which have eligible national teams have been contact by the IBAF and are asked to confirm their participation until March 11, 2013.

Participants, schedule and all information about the XXVI IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup will be released in the coming weeks and months.

Final Standings XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Cup:

• 1) USA
• 2) Canada
• 3) Chinese Taipei
• 4) Colombia
• 5) Korea
• 6) Japan
• 7) Panama
• 8) Venezuela
• 9) Australia
• 10) Italy
• 11) Netherlands
• 12) Czech Republic