Men’s & Women’s Softball confirmed for The World Games 2025

The International World Games Association (IWGA) announced that both men’s and women’s softball have been officially confirmed as medal disciplines for The World Games 2025. The decision was taken by the IWGA Executive Committee following a proposal by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). 

Eight teams will compete in each of the two disciplines in Chengdu, China, with 15 players in the rosters, for a total of 240 softball athletes.  

"Following the great success of women's softball at The World Games 2022 and the Men's Softball World Cup last year, I am proud to see both disciplines included in the programme for The World Games 2025," WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said. "Softball has amazing athletes and this news provides a further opportunity to showcase their great skillset and the best of our sport in the international softball calendar alongside our two-stage World Cups."

The confirmation of the two softball disciplines for the Chengdu 2025 Games - to be held from 7-17 August 2025 - comes after the ratification of the sports programme of The World Games 2025 by the Annual General Meeting held on 3 May 2023 in Madrid, Spain, where softball was confirmed as one of 30 official sports of the Games.

Softball proved to be one of the most successful sports at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, with the women’s softball competition drawing a record-setting attendance for the entire tournament and a single event/game, while also boasting one of the youngest average ages for athletes at 25 years old.

The World Games are a multi-sport event staged every four years by the IWGA under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. 

Baseball and Softball were two of the 12 founding sports of the IWGA in 1980. Softball was part of The World Games sports programme in the first two editions of the Games, at Santa Clara 1981 (men and women) and London 1985 (women) while women’s softball's third official appearance was at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama.