Schedule unveiled for WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced today the official schedule of the IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage, to be played in Thunder Bay, Canada, in August; and Miyoshi City, Japan, in September. Hong Kong, China and Korea will open Group A on 8 August, while Cuba and Chinese Taipei will meet in the first game of Group B on 13 September.

The Women’s Baseball World Cup will be played under the Two-Stage Format for the first time. The IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage will feature a total of 30 games across two single round-robin groups.

At the end of the Group Stage, each group's top-two finishers will qualify for the 2024 Finals in Thunder Bay plus two Wild Card** Teams.

Group A will be hosted in Thunder Bay, Canada, from 8 to 13 August, with No. 3 Canada; No. 4 USA; No. 8 Australia; No. 10 Korea; No. 11 Hong Kong, China; and No. 12 Mexico. The first six games, on 8 and 9 August, will be played at Baseball Central, with the final nine games scheduled at Port Arthur Stadium.

On Day 1, Korea will take on Hong Kong, China at 11:30, followed by Australia vs USA (15:30) and Mexico vs Canada (19:30).

Miyoshi City, Japan, will host Group B from 13 to 19 September. Hosts No. 1 Japan; No. 2 Chinese Taipei; No. 5 Venezuela; No. 7 Cuba; No. 9 Puerto Rico and No. 16 France. All 15 games in Group B will be hosted at Miyoshi Kinsai Stadium.

At 10:30 on 13 September, Cuba and Chinese Taipei will face off in Game 1 of Group B, followed by the game between France and Venezuela at 14:30. The final game of the day will feature hosts Japan and Puerto Rico.

Japan are the six-time defending world champions. They have won the last six tournaments after losing the first two finals in 2004 and 2006. In 2018, they shut out Chinese Taipei, 6-0, to collect their sixth consecutive Women’s Baseball World Cup. Japan is on a 30-game winning streak that started in 2010.

**Wild Card criteria for Finals is as follows:

- Criterion 1: 1 Wild Card spot secured for the host country;

- Criterion 2: If the World Cup Finals Host country is among the qualified teams, both 3rd place teams from each group of the Group Stage qualify for the World Cup Finals. If this criterion does not settle it, then the next criterion will be used;

- Criterion 3: If the World Cup Finals host country is not among the qualified teams, the top 3rd place team in the Group Stage based on final standings from the previous World Cup edition will obtain the remaining Wild Card spot for the World Cup Finals. If this criterion does not settle it (for example, if none of the 3rd place finishers participated in the last World Cup), then the next criterion will be used;

- Criterion 4: The top 3rd place team in the Group Stage based on the highest position in the WBSC Rankings at the end of the previous calendar year qualify for the World Cup Finals.