Japan, China, Chinese Taipei qualify for WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup; Philippines receive wild card
World No. 2 Japan, No. 13 China and No. 3 Chinese Taipei qualified for the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup group stage, which will take place in Ireland, Spain and Italy in July after topping the podium of the Asian qualifier on Saturday. World No. 30 Philippines received the wild card.
Japan claimed the Women’s Softball Asia Cup title after completing a 6-0 victory over China in the final in Incheon, Korea while Chinese Taipei beat the Philippines 10-5 in the bronze medal game.
Women’s Softball Asia Cup Final Standings
- Japan
- China
- Chinese Taipei
- Philippines
- South Korea
- Hong Kong, China
- Singapore
- Thailand
- India
Asian champions Japan are drawn in Group C with world No. 8 Italy, who will host the group in Castions di Strada and Buttrio from 22-26 July. Wild card Philippines will also play in this group along with No. 4 Canada, No. 22 Venezuela and No. 28 New Zealand.
Silver medallists China will face world No. 5 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Netherlands, No. 11 Spain, No. 27 Cuba and No. 39 South Africa in Group B, which will take place in Valencia, Spain from 18-23 July.
Chinese Taipei will join world No. 1 United States, No. 9 Australia, No. 16 Great Britain, No. 17 Ireland and No. 47 Botswana in Group A of the World Cup, which is slated for 11-15 July in Fingal-Dublin, Ireland.
Once the Group Stage phase is complete, the top two teams of each group plus two wild cards will advance to the Finals in Italy in 2024.
Japan have participated in 14 of the 16 previous Women’s Softball World Cups, winning a medal 11 times. The Olympic champions have won the tournament three times – 1970, 2012 and 2014 – and have played in the finals of the last seven tournaments.
China made their Women’s Softball World Cup debut in the sixth edition of the tournament in 1986, losing the final against USA. The silver medal finish in 1986 commenced their three-medal streak, followed by a bronze in 1990 and another silver in 1994. They have finished in the Top 10, but off the podium, in the last seven editions.
Chinese Taipei will make their 16th participation in the global women’s softball competition. After missing the inaugural edition of the event in 1965, Chinese Taipei have played in the last 15 editions, winning two medals – a silver in 1982 as host team, losing the final against New Zealand, and a bronze in 2002.
The Philippines will play their third consecutive World Cup, following appearances in the 2016 and 2018 editions, which also represents their longest streak in the history of the competition. In 1970, they claimed their only medal in the Women’s Softball World Cup, a bronze won in Osaka, Japan.
