The first-ever WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup will be celebrated in Paraná, Argentina starting on 15 April with 12 participant teams. Here are 10 things that you must know about the tournament.
- This is the first-ever WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup. The next one is scheduled for 2026.
- Paraná will be the city that hosts the event. It’s considered Argentina’s softball capital.
- Twelve national teams will participate in the tournament. Argentina, Australia, Czechia, Mexico, Singapore and South Africa are in Group A while Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Venezuela and the WBSC Team* are in Group B.
- The whole tournament can be followed LIVE and worldwide through WBSC OTT Platform GameTime.
- After the Opening Round, the three top teams from each group will play in the Super Round. The first and second place teams in the Super Round will play the World Championship Final and third and fourth-placed teams will play the Bronze Medal Game.
- Senior stars like Australia's Jack Besgrove (pictured above) and Alan Peker from Argentina will feature in the tournament.
- This is the last tournament for the Mizuno M150 Softballs. This model will be replaced by the more sustainable model M170 starting with the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage later this year. The M150 was the official softball for the last three Olympic Games softball competitions: Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020.
- Nine of the top 10 teams in the WBSC Men’s Softball Rankings will play in the tournament, emphasising the quality of the field in the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup.
- The WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup will be played in two venues. The main venue is the “Ing. Nafaldo Cargnel” stadium and El Plumazo will be the alternative venue.
- Australia or Japan can be the holders of two of the three Men’s Softball World Cups. Australia is the reigning seniors champion and Japan is the U-18 holder. If the Aussies win in Argentina they will have the historic chance to hold every single cup if they win the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup in Mexico later this year.
*Since the National Olympic Committee of Guatemala has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee, the Guatemalan athletes cannot represent their country or compete under its flag and name at international sports events. In respect of the athletes’ rights to participate in the World Cup, they will compete at the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup under the WBSC flag.
