The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and the Japanese Softball Association (JSA) unveiled today the host venue of the inaugural WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup, to be played next year in Tokyo, Japan. The tournament will be played at the Komazawa Olympic Park Sports Complex, a legacy of the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.
JSA Vice President and WBSC Executive Board member, Taeko Utsugi said: “We would like to make the U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup a memorable event where participants can feel the legacy of Tokyo 2020 and the popularity of softball. We sincerely hope that this World Cup will set an important milestone for the development of our young players as well as our sport itself.”
Built for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, the Komazawa Olympic Park facilities were used as sites for field hockey, wrestling, volleyball, football and other events. Baseball and cycling facilities were added after the Games as the park transitioned into a public sports centre for the citizens of Tokyo. The complex also features the Gallery of Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, a permanent exhibition about the Tokyo Games in 1964, offering a unique Olympic-related experience; and last year staged a ceremony to start the final leg of the Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay.
The 3,000-seat, artificial turf baseball stadium was renovated in August 2019 and includes fully equipped locker rooms for teams and officials and a perfect playing field to offer an incredible experience for the young participating athletes.
JSA also announced that the accommodation facilities for the participants will be located in the Tokyo Bay area, where the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village was located.
The WBSC awarded the hosting rights of the inaugural U-15 Women's Softball World Cup to the JSA after the last Executive Board meeting. The first edition of the new World Cup will be played in Tokyo in mid-late October 2023, and will feature the world’s best players from 12 countries.
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.
