2023 in Review - Top Stories of the Year

Below are the news highlights of 2023, month by month. For all stories, click here.

JANUARY

January 10 - Prince Albert, Canada to host WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Group, Finals

January 12 - WBSC launches first-ever Baseball5 World Rankings

January 18 - Mizuno unveils new, more sustainable official softball for WBSC Softball World Cups

January 18 - Baseball5 World Cup legacy: Over 70 participants join Baseball5 clinic in Mexico

January 26 - Baseball, softball feature on the programme of the Central American and Caribbean Games

January 27 - Baseball/Softball initiative "Asoball" a huge hit in Japanese kindergartens

January 30 - Uganda win historic WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Africa Qualifier

FEBRUARY

February 7 - Federation Focus: Fourth year of popular feature series starts with Philippines Softball

February 8 - President Fraccari: Exciting year ahead for global baseball and softball community

February 9 - WBSC and KONAMI team up to release WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS on Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation®

February 11 - WBSC Europe Congress: President Fraccari applauds European growth and unity

February 14 - When your Valentine is another baseball umpire

February 22 - Monica Abbott: Softball star, four-time world champion and two-time Olympic medallist calls time on stellar career - ‘The day has come for me to step away from the circle’

February 23 - Softball's great success at The World Games 2022 showcases strong contribution to multi-sport events

February 27 - Baseball5 features at first-ever Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation Hope and Dreams Sport Festival

MARCH

March 1 - WBSC and KONAMI join forces again for Olympic Esports Series 2023

March 2 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari: Baseball5 at Azraq Refugee Camp sets tone for future social initiatives

March 3 - World Baseball Classic: Wearing national team uniform is "pretty special" says Barcelona Olympian and LA Angels manager Phil Nevin

March 4 - Robert Steffy elected WBSC Oceania President

March 7 - WBSC announces Strategic Partnership with Green Future Project to combat carbon emissions

March 8 - International Women's Day: Ayako Rokkaku - Women's baseball a great opportunity for girls to experience the benefits of sport

March 21 - Two-Stage Softball World Cups competition format announced

March 21 - MLB stars hail international baseball during "special" World Baseball Classic experience

March 22 - Japan win World Baseball Classic to add to Premier12 and Olympic titles

March 23 - WBSC publishes list of approved wooden baseball bats

March 24 - Executive Board meeting: WBSC welcomes two new members from Estonia and Vietnam

March 24 - Record-breaking World Baseball Classic shows power of international baseball

March 28 - World Rankings Update: Japan strengthens position on top of International Men's Baseball after World Baseball Classic win

March 28 - Federation Focus: Softball South Africa and its unique history

March 30 - WBSC announces results of Continental Association Governance Review

March 30 - WBSC publishes first annual Governance Report in line with WBSC Strategic Plan 2022-2028

APRIL

April 5 - WBSC releases new #Safecall guidelines for events

April 6 - China to host V WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup in 2024

April 6 - WBSC Legacy Club launched on International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

April 12 - Women's Softball World Rankings update: United States remains on top ahead of Japan and Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico moves into fourth

April 20 - WBSC Baseball5 World Cup: Central Harbourfront Event Space in Hong Kong to host second edition in 2024

April 23 - Besgrove shuts out Japan as Australia win first-ever WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup title

April 25 - WBSC instructor Chedli Mokrani receives IOC honours for Baseball5 achievements

April 25 - Baseball5 featured in International Day of Sport for Development and Peace initiative at Refugee Camp in Kenya

April 26 - Argentina stay on top of Men's Softball World Rankings, U-23 Champions Australia jump to second place

MAY

May 4 - #B5High5: Share your best Baseball5 moments during the month of May

May 9 - Jack Besgrove: Australia’s rising star sets sights on Men’s Softball World Cup 2024 - “Hopefully we can go back to back”

May 12 - Men’s & Women’s Softball confirmed for The World Games 2025

May 16 - WBSC holds Baseball5 courses for OlympAfrica Foundation

May 17 - WBSC’s work on the Prevention of Competition Manipulation used as best practice example during IOC Workshop

May 22 - Ghana become first Youth Baseball5 African Champions

May 24 - Global game: Women's softball a hit in Saudi Arabia

May 25 - Hong Kong-China host first Women's Baseball Asia Summit

May 26 - WBSC publishes first Integrity Unit annual report

May 31 - WBSC confirmed as Associate Member of ASOIF

JUNE

June 1 - WBSC President Fraccari celebrates Baseball5 success in Schools Olympics in Italy

June 1 - Female umpiring crew makes history in Cuba's Baseball National League

June 2 - Over 12,000 fans pack USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma for NCAA Women’s College World Series opener

June 5 - WBSC Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions Rules updated

June 5 - WBSC Yearbook 2022: Check out the recap of another exciting year in global Baseball, Softball & Baseball5

June 12 - Virtual Baseball: China’s Women’s National Softball Team hosts home run challenge at first-ever Softball Experience Centre

June 12 - Venezuela launches Baseball5 league

June 13 - 13th June: Let’s celebrate World Softball Day!

June 16 - Miroslawa Cumba: "Women umpires made history in Cuba, now we need to keep working hard

June 19 - Updated WBSC Disciplinary By-Laws and Safeguarding Rules published

June 20 - World Refugee Day: WBSC host Baseball5 Open Day at Azraq Refugee Camp to drive home message of integration

June 23 - Major milestone in international baseball: WBSC unveils Official Rules of Baseball

June 26 - Olympic Esports Series WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS Success: SHORA targets triple crown after claiming 2023 title

June 28 - New Two-Stage Format adds teams, host cities & excitement to XVII Women’s Softball World Cup

JULY

July 1 - Dominican Republic clinch men’s softball gold medal at Central American and Caribbean Games. Mexico and Venezuela complete the podium

July 4 - XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals to be played in July 2024 in Italy

July 8 - Aleshia Ocasio shines from the circle to give Puerto Rico women’s softball Central American and Caribbean Games gold medal in tight final against Cuba

July 10 - Olympic Council of Asia confirms Men's Baseball and Women's Softball for Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026

July 10 - Baseball Champions League launched; First-ever professional and world-level competition for clubs

July 11 - WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS captivates global audiences at Olympic Esports Week Singapore 2023

July 15 - WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group A - USA and Australia claim tickets to Finals 2024

July 21 - Taichung inaugurates International Softball Complex

July 22 - WBSC President watches Azraq Baseball5 Refugee Team in action during Jordan visit

July 22 - WBSC Women's Softball World Cup: Puerto Rico and Netherlands claim Group B tickets to Finals 2024

July 26 - Japan and Canada claim Group C tickets to the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024; Italy and China advance as two wild cards with Group Stage now complete

July 31 - WBSC Softball World Rankings: United States stays as world No. 1 in women’s softball

AUGUST

August 1 - WBSC announces CARNEXT as WBSC Global Sponsor

August 6 - The United States are five-time U-12 Baseball world champions

August 7 - Agatsuma delivers lone run as Japan beat USA in 2023 Softball All-Star Series clincher

August 11 - Zoe Hicks: A duel code trail blazer in Women's Baseball and Softball

August 11 - Canada's Alli Schroder on fire and the growth of Women's Baseball

August 13 - IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Final Day: USA win Group A undefeated; Canada and Mexico finish second and third respectively

August 15 - WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings: Japan stay at No. 1 after latest update

August 17 - WBSC Women’s Softball World Rankings July 2023: Canada moves to fourth place after Canada Cup scores update

August 22 - Chinese Taipei takes over from World Champions Cuba at top of WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking

August 23 - WBSC Legacy Club: Baseball5 in Refugee Camps

SEPTEMBER

September 5 - Dakar en Jeux festival celebrates build up to 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Baseball5 Olympic debut

September 5 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari joins IOC Esports Commission following success of WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS

September 6 - WBSC partners with Legend by LEVERADE to present sustainable Digital Trophy for U-18 Baseball World Cup

September 6 - KOY wins WBSC eBASEBALL™: POWER PROS CTBA OPEN at WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup

September 7 - WBSC releases new Baseball5 rulebook, game management system ahead of inaugural WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup

September 8 - WBSC releases Baseball5 Toolkit in French, runs workshop in Lausanne, Switzerland

September 10 - World No. 1 Japan win XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup

September 11 - III WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS to be staged from 10 to 24 November 2024, Finals at Tokyo Dome

September 14 - CARNEXT becomes presenting sponsor of WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Final Stage

September 14 - WBSC proud to be associated with IPACS as active partner and advocate for good governance

September 17 - IX WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup-Group B Day 5: Japan, Chinese Taipei and Venezuela advance to Finals 2024

September 20 - Dates announced for WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals 2024. World Champion to be crowned on 3 August in Thunder Bay, Canada

September 21 - WBSC unveils historic launch of WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series and ePremier12™ at Tokyo Game Show

September 21 - Mexican Softball League: Historic inaugural season to be staged in 2024 supported by Mexican Baseball League

September 21 - WBSC Women’s Baseball World Ranking: Japan retain No. 1 position as five new programmes enter the ranking

September 25 - Asian Games: WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari meets with Chinese Olympic Committee Vice President Li Yingchuan

September 26 - President Fraccari: Baseball Champions League - A new era begins for international baseball

September 30 - Baseball5 shines bright on the diamond

OCTOBER

October 1 - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks shut out Barranquilla, win inaugural Baseball Champions League Americas

October 2 - Olympians Miu Goto, Yukiko Ueno lead Japan to sixth consecutive gold medal at Hangzou 2022 Asian Games softball event

October 3 - Baseball5 star Ayako Rokkaku represents WBSC at International Athletes’ Forum

October 3 - Great Britain: Are we witnessing the rise of a new baseball and softball European powerhouse?

October 3 - Burgos Family: Father and son experience Baseball Champions League Americas from different perspectives

October 3 - Baseball's popularity at its highest in the US as MLB attendance surpasses 70 million; records largest percentage increase in 20 years

October 5 - WBSC Men’s Baseball World Ranking: Puerto Rico enter Premier12 zone again, Japan extend lead as No. 1

October 6 - President Fraccari attends inaugural IOC Esports Commission meeting at Olympic House

October 9 - WBSC Partners with Alibaba Cloud for Sustainability Drive

October 15 - Cuba win WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup to add to 2022 World Championship crown

October 16 - Baseball and Softball confirmed as part of Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 sports programme

October 17 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari: Baseball5 set to play "key role" in Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 success

October 17 - Baseball and softball community celebrate LA28 decision - "What a thrill to be back in the Olympics"

October 18 - Chinese Taipei, France, Cuba top three in latest WBSC Baseball5 World Rankings

October 19 - WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup group awarded to Oklahoma City, USA

October 20 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari: More exciting times ahead for baseball/softball following LA28 inclusion

October 23 - Olympic Week 2023: 1,000 kids enjoy Baseball, Softball and Baseball5 in Olympic capital

October 29 - USA claim inaugural WBSC U-15 Women's Softball World Cup title

October 30 - Colombia beat Brazil to claim first ever Pan Am Games baseball gold medal at Santiago 2023

October 31 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Olympic Gold Medallist, Premier12 and World Baseball Classic champion wins third Eiji Sawamura Award in a row

NOVEMBER

November 2 - Mexico climb to second in WBSC Men’s Baseball World Rankings, highest position ever

November 5 - Baseball Australia, Softball Australia set sights on LA28 Olympics and beyond

November 6 - USA win 10th Pan American Games gold medal; Puerto Rico claim silver, Canada bronze

November 9 - WBSC announces MUFG as Global Sponsor

November 10 - One year to go: III WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS opens 10 November 2024

November 10 - Women's Softball World Rankings update: United States, Japan and Puerto Rico lead the way

November 12 - Australia and New Zealand qualify for Men's Softball World Cup Group Stage

November 14 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari elected as new SportAccord Treasurer

November 14 - Three of four finalists confirmed for WBSC eBASEBALL™ Series 2023 World Finals

November 16 - Historic: France on top of WBSC Baseball5 World Rankings for first time

November 19 - Ryuga Umeda hits walk-off grand slam, Japan repeat as U-18 Men's Softball World Champions

November 20 - Samurai Japan to host Team Europe for Global Baseball Games in March in Osaka

November 20 - Japan walk off Korea in final to win Asia Professional Baseball Championship undefeated

November 21 - Sao Paulo, Brazil to host WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup group

November 22 - Men's Softball World Rankings: Australia new No. 1, U-18 Men's Softball World Champions Japan No. 2

November 23 - Dates announced for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup group and Finals in Canada

November 24 - 24th November: Baseball5 celebrates sixth anniversary

November 25 - WBSC Executive Board celebrates tremendous growth and innovation for international baseball and softball

November 28 - May 10 declared World Baseball Softball Confederation Day

November 28 - Women's, Men's Softball World Rankings to qualify six national teams for The World Games Chengdu 2025

November 28 - XVII Women's Softball World Cup Finals schedule announced

November 29 - Olympic baseball gold medallist Yoshinobu Yamamoto wins third consecutive MVP Award

November 29 - Updated WBSC Disciplinary By-Laws and Safeguarding Rules online

November 29 - Colombia, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela qualify for WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024

November 30 - Po Chun Liu: Building hopes and dreams through softball

November 30 - Colombia win Pan American U-23 Baseball Championship

November 30 - Girls, Strike it Out Workshop: WBSC co-hosts injury prevention and self-protection workshop for youth athletes in Taiwan

DECEMBER

December 2 - WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari inaugurates new Taipei Dome

December 5 - China to host V WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup from 6 to 15 September, 2024

December 10 - Shohei Ohtani signs with LA Dodgers, continues to make baseball history

December 10 - Japan defeat Chinese Taipei to win Asian Baseball Championship, both qualify with Korea for WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup

December 13 - UNHCR Global Refugee Forum: WBSC showcases Legacy Club impact using Baseball5 in Jordan

December 13 - Dallas, USA to host WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup group in 2024, Finals 2025

December 14 - Tickets on sale for WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals in Italy

December 14 - 2023 Year in Review: WBSC Legacy Club provides new opportunities using Baseball5 in Jordan

December 15 - 2023 Year in Review: WBSC’s exhilarating, electrifying and elevating year in eSport

December 18 - 2023 Year in Review: A Year of Major Milestones for International Baseball

December 18 - Japan finish 2023 on top of WBSC/KONAMI Men's Baseball World Ranking

December 19 - WBSC Congress approves Statutes Amendments to enhance global baseball/softball

December 19 - 2023 Year in Review: Two maiden World Cups, new competition format highlight memorable year for international softball

December 20 - Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS: World's Top 12 nations qualified for WBSC's flagship baseball tournament

December 20 - 2023 Year in Review: Baseball5, a six-year-old with a bright future ahead

December 20 - End of the year message from the WBSC President to the global baseball softball community

December 21 - WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group B awarded to Pingtan, China

December 31 - Top Plays of the Year