The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced the dates of the flagship Premier12 2019, the most important international baseball competition in 2019.

The major global baseball event will open on Saturday, 2 November, and close with the grand finale at Japan’s Tokyo Dome on Sunday, 17 November.

The world’s top 12 National Baseball Teams will be drawn into three groups of four (3×4) to start the global tournament, with Chinese Taipei, Korea and Mexico each hosting a group.

The Opening Round will be contested from 2-8 November.

Two teams from each group will advance (and carry the head-to-head result between them) to the Super Round in Japan.

With half the teams eliminated, the Super Round will be played from 11-16 November at Chiba Marine Stadium and the Tokyo Dome.

The top two teams from the Super Round will compete in the Final at the Tokyo Dome, on 17 November, while the third- and fourth-place finishers will play in the bronze medal match.

It’s hard to find two better stages for the Super Round and Finals than the Tokyo Dome and Chiba Marine Stadium.

The Tokyo Dome is a famous landmark in Tokyo and one of the best stadiums in the Japanese capital.

Chiba Marine Stadium opened in 1990 and is located right on the beach of Tokyo Bay. Home of the NPB Chiba Lotte Marines, the stadium will host again the final round of a WBSC event, after being the main stage for the 2018 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship playoffs and final.

The game schedule, Opening Round cities and stadiums will be announced in future releases.