LAUSANNE, Switzerland --
The World Baseball Softball Confederation in conjunction with the WBSC
Tournament Commission has confirmed the dates for the WBSC U-15 Baseball World
Cup. Originally tentatively scheduled for July, the U-15 Baseball World Cup has
been confirmed to take place from 14 to 23 August, in order to take advantage
of the post-Tokyo 2020 momentum following baseball and softball’s historic
return to the Olympic Games.
The first of four events that Mexico will host this year, the U-15 Baseball World Cup has already confirmed all 12 participants. Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, USA and Venezuela advanced through the Americas qualifier while the hosts Mexico received a wild card. Germany and Italy advanced through the European Championship. Japan and Chinese Taipei qualified through the Asia Championship. Guam has been confirmed as the Oceania representative after winning the Oceania Championship on Sunday. South Africa makes it to the World Cup as the highest ranked team in Africa.
The inaugural U-15
Baseball World Cup happened in 2012 in Chihuahua, Mexico. Venezuela earned the
first world title in this age bracket. USA are the defending champions as they
defeated the hosts Panama in the 2018 edition. Cuba claimed world titles in
2014 (Sinaloa, Mexico) and 2016 (Iwaki, Japan) and finished second in 2012.
The International
Baseball Federation (IBAF) organised the so-called Double-A (or U-16) World Cup
from 1989 to 2011.
Meanwhile, the U-18
Women's Softball World Cup opening date in Lima, Peru has been modified to
start on 23 August, instead of 21 August, in order to maximise the tournament
schedule. The tournament will still finish on the same day, 30 August.
Australia and New Zealand have been confirmed as the 13th and 14th teams to participate in the inaugural U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup following a decision by the WBSC Oceania Executive, on the back of the cancellation of the region's qualification tournament - due to be held in Canberra, Australia from 14 to 16 February - after an outbreak of measles in American Samoa. The other 12 National Teams already qualified are Canada, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, USA (Americas), China, Japan, Chinese Taipei (Asia), the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands (Europe) and the Philippines, that received a wild card.
The last two participants will be confirmed by the Africa region.
It will be the
inaugural World Cup for the U-18 age category in softball. The International
Softball Federation organised a U-19 World Championship from 1981 to 2017. WBSC
renamed the tournament U-19 Women's Softball World Cup in 2019. The USA
defeated Japan in an emotional final and became the last U-19 Women's Softball world
champions.