WBSC publishes new Baseball5 Rulebook as game’s popularity soars internationally

WBSC publishes new Baseball5 Rulebook as game’s popularity soars internationally
24/02/2020
The rapid global expansion of baseball and softball’s new five-on-five urban discipline has pushed the evolution and standardization of the new rules, optimizing Baseball5 for further growth.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation today published the 2020 edition of the Official WBSC Baseball5™ Rulebook for the five-on-five urban discipline, which will be making its debut at the Youth Olympic Games in 2022 in Dakar, Senegal, Africa.

"The updated rules, adjustments and optimization to the young Baseball5 discipline reflect its rapid rise and global adoption -- and the need for standardization -- with already over 70 countries across all five Olympic continents now practicing this new, youth-targeted game," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.

New regulations in the 16-page rulebook include an expanded “no hit” zone in front of home plate and an official line-up card. The 2020 edition of the rulebook is divided into four main chapters: the field, game preliminaries, game rules and end of the game.

Features of Baseball5 rules:

  • Baseball5 can be played anywhere -- on all terrains --  and requires only a rubber ball.
  • The Baseball5 ball weighs 84.8 grams (or 3.13 ounces) and has a diameter of 66.4 millimetres (or 2.61 inches). ** Read the Baseball 5 ball homologation rules here **
  • The Baseball5 infield has a square shape, and the distance between the bases is 13 meters (or 42.5 feet).
  • The number of active players per team during a game is five at all times. The maximum of players on a team roster is eight.

General urban sports attire is required for playing official WBSC-sanctioned competitions.

For any instance not covered by the WBSC Baseball5 Rulebook, officials will refer to the Official Baseball Rules.

New World Cups and Continental Championship

The first-ever Baseball5 World Cup and Youth Baseball5 World Cup are scheduled for December in Mexico. WBSC has recently confirmed the Continental quota. WBSC Europe will organise the first official Continental Championship from 28 February to 1 March in Vilnius, Lithuania.