WBSC unveils groups for newly created U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Palmerston North, New Zealand

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today unveiled the groups and tournament bracket for the first-ever WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2020, to be held from 22 February to 1 March at Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Defending champions and world No. 4 Australia will be seeded in Group A, along with No. 2 Canada, No. 5 Argentina, No. 7 Czech Republic, No. 12 South Africa and No. 22 Singapore.

Group A includes host and world No. 1 New Zealand, No. 3 Japan, No. 6 USA (wild card), No. 9 Mexico, No. 11 Denmark and No. 15 Guatemala.

“Less than two months away from the first pitch the teams already know their rivals for the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup Opening Round,” said WBSC Softball Chairman, Tommy Velazquez. “This brand new event will be a milestone for men’s softball history. Not only for the new age bracket or the new look and feel of the event, but also because, for the first time ever, nine teams have qualified for the World Cup through continental events, boosting the youth men’s softball competition in every corner of the planet.”

The top three teams from Group A will play the top three teams from Group B in the Super Round; with the top two nations in the standings after the Super Round meeting in the Final match For the title of World Champion on Sunday, 1 March.

With all 12 national teams confirmed for Palmerston North, the WBSC presented the new logo and visual identity of the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup, a new step in the rebranding process of the softball world championships into Softball World Cups across all men and women’s platforms and age-groups. 

The official website of the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup has been launched across six languages, including English, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Traditional Chinese.

The official game schedule will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

Tickets

Softball fans from around the world can purchase the tickets for the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup. Fans can acquire daily passes for each competition day, or choose for a tournament pass.

The tickets can be purchased through the international online ticketing service, Ticket Rocket.

The nine-day, 50-game event will showcase the best 12 nations in the world, representing the five Olympic continents.