WBSC awards hosting rights of U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2023 to Mexico

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today announced it has awarded the hosting rights of the XIV U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2023 to Mexico. The tournament will be organised by Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) and will be played from 11-19 November in a city to be announced in the coming weeks.

It will be the second Softball World Cup Mexico has hosted after staging the inaugural edition of the Men’s Softball World Cup in Mexico City, in 1966 when Mexico claimed the silver medal after losing to USA, 6-0, in the final.

“The WBSC is delighted to partner again with CONADE to host one of our valuable World Cup properties in Mexico: the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “Back in 1966, this beautiful country hosted the first-ever Men’s Softball World Cup in any category with 11 teams battling for the title of world champions. More than 57 years later, the global softball family will finally return to Mexico for another exciting event.”

As host, Mexico has already secured a spot in the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2023, becoming the fourth qualified nation for the event along with South Africa (winner of the Africa Qualifier), Australia and New Zealand. The world’s best players from 12 nations across the five continents will participate in this event:

• Africa: No. 12 South Africa
• Americas (4)
• Asia (2)
• Europe (2)
• Oceania: No. 4 Australia, No. 7 New Zealand
• Wild Card/Host: No. 10 Mexico

Originally planned for 2022, the tournament was moved to 2023 to better accommodate the changes in the international calendar. As a result, the eligibility to participate in the U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2023 has been extended to players who turn 19 years old in 2023.

World No. 2 Japan are the defending world champions after an undefeated campaign in 2020 to win the XIII WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Palmerston North, New Zealand, including a 9-2 win over Australia in the final in five innings. No. 6 Czechia defeated Argentina in the Bronze Medal Game to claim the European nation’s first-ever medal.