The U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup, the most important national team event for this age category, will begin on Saturday with all 12 nations taking the field for the inaugural day. Four of the first six games will face teams that currently rank in the top 10 of the World Rankings.
No. 21 Guatemala and No. 11 Denmark will officially open the top youth softball event in the world, with the first of 50 games to be played at Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The first pitch is slated for 11 a.m. local time.
One hour later, No. 5 Australia and No. 7 Czech Republic will collide in the first game on the main field. The 2018 Junior Men’s World Champions will take on the top European nation in a cracking match up that could have major impact on the race to the Super Round.
Game number 3 of the tournament will be played on Field 2 at 1:30 p.m., with world No. 4 Canada facing No. 10 South Africa in the second game of Group A.
At 2:30pm, No. 6 USA and No. 8 Mexico will play on Field 1 in the latest instalment of a long rivalry that could be the key game for their Super Round hopes.
The top three nations in the WBSC World Ranking will made their debut in the last two games of Day 1. On Field 2, No. 2 Argentina will take on Singapore at 4 p.m. closing the first day in Group A; while the top ranked nation Japan and world No. 3 New Zealand will play the main game of the day at 7:30 p.m. just after the Opening Ceremony.
All 50 games of the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup will be live streamed through the WBSC Official YouTube Channel, and Game Time.
Team by team schedule
GROUP A
Argentina
22/02: 4 p.m. vs Singapore
23/02: 5 p.m. vs Australia
24/02: 12 a.m. vs South Africa
25/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Czech Republic
26/02: 5 p.m. vs Canada
Canada
22/02: 1:30 p.m. vs South Africa
23/02: 12 a.m. vs Singapore
24/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Czech Republic
25/02: 5 p.m. vs Australia
26/02: 5 p.m. vs Argentina
Australia
22/02: 12 a.m. vs Czech Republic
23/02: 5 p.m. vs Argentina
24/02: 1 p.m. vs Singapore
25/02: 5 p.m. vs Canada
26/02: 3:30 p.m. vs South Africa
Czech Republic
22/02: 12 a.m. vs Australia
23/02: 3:30 p.m. vs South Africa
24/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Canada
25/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Argentina
26/02: 12 a.m. vs Singapore
South Africa
22/02: 1:30 p.m. vs Canada
23/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Czech Republic
24/02: 12 a.m. vs Argentina
25/02: 1 p.m. vs Singapore
26/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Australia
Singapore
22/02: 4 p.m. vs Argentina
23/02: 12 a.m. vs Canada
24/02: 1 p.m. vs Australia
25/02: 1 p.m. vs South Africa
26/02: 12 a.m. vs Czech Republic
GROUP B
Japan
22/02: 7:30 p.m. vs New Zealand
23/02: 1 p.m. vs Guatemala
24/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Denmark
25/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Mexico
26/02: 2:30 p.m. vs United States
New Zealand
22/02: 7:30 p.m. vs Japan
23/02: 7:30 p.m. vs United States
24/02: 7:30 p.m. vs Mexico
25/02: 7:30 p.m. vs Guatemala
26/02: 7:30 p.m. vs Denmark
United States
22/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Mexico
23/02: 7:30 p.m. vs New Zealand
24/02: 3:30 p.m. vs Guatemala
25/02: 12 a.m. vs Denmark
26/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Japan
Mexico
22/02: 2:30 p.m. vs United States
23/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Denmark
24/02: 7:30 p.m. vs New Zealand
25/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Japan
26/02: 1 p.m. vs Guatemala
Denmark
22/02: 11 a.m. vs Guatemala
23/02: 2:30 p.m. vs Mexico
24/02: 5 p.m. vs Japan
25/02: 12 a.m. vs United States
26/02: 7:30 p.m. vs New Zealand
Guatemala
22/02: 11 a.m. vs Denmark
23/02: 1 p.m. vs Japan
24/02: 3:30 p.m. vs United States
25/02: 7:30 p.m. vs New Zealand
26/02: 1 p.m. vs Mexico