III WBSC Premier12 presented by RAXUS to be staged from 10 to 24 November 2024, Finals at Tokyo Dome
The two six-team groups will be staged in Taipei City (TPE) and the Americas (location TBC) while Japan earned the hosting rights for a group game, the Super Round and the finals.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced that the third edition of the WBSC Premier12, the most important international baseball competition in 2024, will take place from 10 to 24 November next year.
Japanese company RAXUS Inc., who was announced last month along with one of its properties CARNEXT as a WBSC Global Sponsor, will be the presenting sponsor of the WBSC Premier12.
The WBSC flagship baseball event will feature 12 participants, split into two groups, following which, after round-robin play, the top two finishers of each group will compete in the Super Round. The first and second-place teams of the Super Round will compete in the Premier12 Championship game, while the third and fourth-place finishers will play for a bronze medal.
Chinese Taipei and the Americas (location TBC) earned hosting rights for the group stage, with Group A taking place from 10-14 November (host country, city and venue will be announced at a later date).
Group B will take place in Taipei City from 14-18 November with the opening game to take place in the Nagoya Dome, Japan on 13 November.
The Tokyo Dome in Japan will host the Super Round from 21-23 November in a round robin format before the medal games take place on 24 November.
"It is very exciting for baseball fans all around the world to have the dates and locations for the next edition of the WBSC Premier12 - our flagship event - unveiled," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "After two extremely successful editions in 2015 and 2019, we're looking forward to the third instalment next year with some magnificent host cities and venues thanks to our phenomenal hosts and partners."
Sadayuki Sakakibara, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Commissioner, said: "It is a great honour and pleasure to host the WBSC Premier12 in Japan three consecutive times. I believe that NPB can contribute to the development of baseball worldwide by fully demonstrating the appeal of our sport, aiming at returning to the Olympics."
Jeffery Koo, the President of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA), said: “It is an honour to welcome all the participating teams and host this long-awaited baseball event. We will definitely organize this great baseball event that the world is looking forward to with the best preparation. CTBA will cooperate with CPBL (the Chinese Professional Baseball League) to field the strongest team and compete with the world's first-class teams.”
World No. 1 Japan are the Premier12 defending champions. They defeated No. 5 Korea on home soil at the Tokyo Dome to win the 2019 final. No. 3 Mexico defeated No. 2 USA in the bronze medal game.
