The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) jointly announced today that the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, will host the XIV U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2023. The tournament will be played at Mundialistas Hermosillenses Stadium and Fernando M. Ortiz Field from 11-19 November.
“The WBSC is very happy to be back in Hermosillo to host a World Cup for the third time in as many years. Thank you CONADE and Government authorities for bringing us back to a fantastic baseball/softball destination like Hermosillo,” said WBSC President, Riccardo Fraccari. “I have no doubt that the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup will be a huge success in the city, just like the U-23 and U-15 Baseball World Cups, played there in 2021 and 2022.”
“Baseball and softball culture in Sonora is huge; that’s why we are so happy to host again a world-class event," said Sonora State Sports Commission Director, Erubiel Durazo. "We’re ready to receive all the National Teams in Sonora’s capital for the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup, as we did in 2021 and 2022 with the U-23 and U-15 Baseball World Cups. Once again, we’ll be able to see the best players in the world in our diamonds.”
Both the Mundialistas Hermosillenses Stadium and Fernando M. Ortiz Field, which belong to Sonora’s Government, will be renovated ahead of the World Cup, including the installation of new artificial turf in both fields - further boosting the development of softball in the city and the state and leaving a legacy for the Hermosillo and Sonora softball community.
The WBSC awarded the hosting rights of the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup 2023 to Mexico in March.
The 12-team tournament has already four qualified nations:
- 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
The Asian continental qualifiers will be played in Kochi, Japan on 23-24 June; while the European qualifier is scheduled from 3-8 July in Czechia. The host and dates of the Americas qualifier is still to be determined.
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.
