WBSC History

After a history spanning 75 years, the International Baseball Federation and International Softball Federation joined together to create the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) - the world governing body of Baseball and Softball.

Presidents Riccardo Fraccari (IBAF) and Don Porter (ISF) announced the merger on 14 April 2013 after signing the new body’s constitution at a news conference during the IBAF congress at a Tokyo Hotel. Fraccari and Porter sat on the Committee that picked the name of the new organisation. The World Baseball Softball Confederation was a legitimate compromise between the proposal by ISF (ICSB, International Confederation Softball Baseball) and IBAF (IBSF, International Baseball Softball Confederation).

Riccardo Fraccari & Don Porter
Riccardo Fraccari & Don Porter

The historic inaugural Congress of the WBSC took place in May 2014. Thomas Bach, the International Olympic Committee President, wrote in a message: "This historic inaugural Congress reflects the efforts and the changes of recent years…we are very pleased to see that the National Federations are following the updated structure and the new direction of the WBSC".

Six years later the WBSC opened its new, permanent headquarters in Pully, Switzerland, to stay close to IOC and the Olympic Movement.

Documents

Document Name
WBSC Headquarters