The first event to be held under this new system is the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup this year, which will play the Group Stage in Europe from 11 to 26 July in Fingal-Dublin, Ireland (Group A); Valencia, Spain (Group B); and Castions di Strada and Buttrio, Italy (Group C). The finals will be staged in Italy in the summer of 2024.

The Asia Cup will be played from 2-8 April in Incheon, Korea, with three tickets to the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2023 at stake.

Entzminger, Franklin, Groenewegen, Harshman, Hayward, Leung, Polidori and Wideman are the veterans from the 2021 National Team, that claimed a historic first-ever Olympic medal for Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup qualifier, to be staged from 2-8 April in Incheon, South Korea, will be the first of six continental qualifers this year in Asia.

The softball competition proved to be a fan-favourite event at The World Games 2022, recording the most tickets sold to the public and sponsors. It was the only one of the 34 sports to surpass the 10,000 tickets sold mark.

One of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game, Abbott earned four WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup gold medals (2006, 2010, 2018, 2022) and two Olympic silver medals at the Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Hale, a three-time world champion with the Black Sox in 2000, 2004 and 2013 has been appointed as Head Coach of the New Zealand White Sox.

World No. 39 South Africa and No. 47 Botswana became the continent’s representatives at the XVII Women’s Softball World Cup - to be played in Ireland, Spain and Italy in July, after finishing in the top-two spots of the standings at the World Cup Africa qualifiers. Kenya and Lesotho finished third and fourth respectively.

The historic tournament, to be played in Ireland, Spain and Italy this summer, will be the first to be played under the new Two-Stage format.

Presidents Colum Lavery (IRL), Andrea Marcon (ITA) and Jesus Lisarri (ESP) - pictured with WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari and WBSC Softball Division Chair Craig Cress - were the speakers during a round table, where they agreed on the sense of pride and excitement for hosting the biggest WBSC event in 2023.