Women's Sport - Playing a major part in the WBSC 2024 season
Women's disciplines will play a significant part in the WBSC 2024 calendar with two finals scheduled in July. The WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals will take place from 15 to 21 July in Castions di Strada, Italy while Thunder Bay, Canada will host the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, presented by CARNEXT, from 18 July to 3 August.
Meanwhile, the mixed-gender WBSC Baseball5 World Cup will take place in Hong Kong, China during the year - exact dates to be announced.
Both baseball and softball tournaments are played using the new WBSC two-stage format.
The XVII Women's Softball World Cup started with the Group Stage in 2023 with 18 participating National Teams representing the five Olympic continents and involved three hosts - Ireland, Italy and Spain. All three nations had never hosted a Softball World Cup before.
World No. 1 USA, No. 2 Japan, No. 3 Puerto Rico, No. 4 Chinese Taipei, No. 6 Italy, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 10 Australia and No. 15 China will compete in the Finals.
The IX Women's Baseball World Cup also started last year and had 12 participating National Teams representing four continents across two groups and involved Canada and Japan as hosts.
World No. 1 Japan, No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 3 Venezuela, No. 4 USA, No. 5 Mexico, and No. 7 Canada will compete in the Finals.
Italy will host the Finals of the XVII Women's Softball World Cup. USA (12), Japan (3), Australia (1) and New Zealand (1) are the previous champions with the North Americans the three-time defending champions as winners of the 2022 World Games and 2018 and 2016 editions.
Japan have earned the most silver medals (seven, including the 2022 World Games), followed by USA (4), China (2), Australia (the inaugural edition in 1965), New Zealand, Canada and Chinese Taipei (1).
Australia have earned six bronze medals, followed by Canada (3), Japan, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei (2; Chinese Taipei earned bronze at the World Games 2022), China and the Philippines (1)
Canada is the country that has hosted the most editions (4), followed by Japan (3). The US hosted two World Cups and the 2022 World Games. Every other host had one Women's Softball World Cup: Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, El Salvador, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela.
Canada will host the finals of the IX Women's Baseball World Cup. Japan (six times) and the United States (2) are the previous winners. Japan, the Women's Baseball World Cup 2018 winner, is the defending champion.
Japan, the US and Canada have earned two silver medals, Australia and Chinese Taipei one.
Canada earned four bronze medals, the United States two, Australia and Venezuela one.
Canada hosted the inaugural edition precisely 20 years ago in Edmonton in 2004 and has been the host again in 2012, welcoming Group A in 2023. Japan also hosted the Women's Baseball World Cup twice and welcomed Group B in 2023. Korea, the United States, Taiwan and Venezuela hosted the event once.
Hong Kong, China, will host the second WBSC Baseball5 World Cup later this year at the Central Harbourfront Event Space. The official dates will be announced soon.
Cuba won the inaugural WBSC Baseball5 World Cup in 2022 with Japan and Chinese Taipei finishing second and third respectively.
The qualified teams for the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2024 so far are:
Africa (2) No. 4 Tunisia, No. 7 South Africa
Americas (3)
Asia (3)
Europe (2) No. 2 France, No. 10 Lithuania
Oceania (1)
Wild Card (1)
