World No. 2 Japan will host No. 1 USA, No. 6 Mexico, No. 8 Italy, No. 11 China, and Tanzania for the first edition of the Utsugi Cup, to be played at Takasaki City Softball Field Utsugi Stadium in Takasaki City, Gunma, Japan from 2 to 4 June.
The Utsugi Cup, for U-15 women softballers, was created in honour of Olympic silver (2000) and bronze medallist (2004), and former Japan women's softball national team manager Taeko Utsugi who is behind many of the sport's development initiatives in Japan.
The tournament will serve as ideal preparation for the first edition of the WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup, which will take place from 21-29 October in Tokyo, Japan.
The six-team Utsugi Cup will open with two groups of three teams, with three play-off games for fifth place (third-place teams from both groups), the bronze medal (second-place teams from both groups) and gold medal (top teams from each group).
Italy, Mexico and USA have already announced their rosters for the nine-game competition, which is sanctioned by the WBSC and will grant points for the Women's Softball World Ranking.
Utsugi Cup participants Japan, Italy, Mexico and USA are also qualified for the WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup.
The 850-seat Takasaki City Softball Field Utsugi Stadium, the first purpose-made softball field in the city, will host the tournament. Designed in accordance with WBSC international standards, the artificial turf field stretches over 76m. from home plate for men, and over 67m for women, with the portable fencing allowing for a maximum possible fair territory of up to 80m.
The WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup, a youth-focused event, two years on from the successful softball competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, adds to the legacy of the Tokyo Games, which saw Japan claim the gold medal beating USA in the final.
