Write it down on your calendar to save the date. The World Baseball Classic will be held again in March 2026. As Samurai Japan looks to defend its World Baseball Classic title against teams from around the world, it was announced Thursday where the game will take place.
Japan’s Tokyo Dome and Miami’s Lawn Depot Park will return as venues for the 2023 Games, while Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico will return for the first time since 2013. Houston’s Minute His Made His Park will host this event for the first time ever.
“We are excited and honored to be hosting World Baseball Classic matchups for the first time,” Astros owner and chairman Jim Crane said. “Houston is a global city with the best baseball fans, and we are proud to welcome fans from across the globe to watch international competition at Minute Maid Park.”
The first round pool will be split into four venues, with the semifinals split between Houston and Miami, and the final once again at Lawndepot Park.
16 teams (the top 4 teams from each pool in the 2023 tournament) will qualify for the tournament, and the final 4 teams will be determined in his 2025 qualifying tournament. More information regarding the qualifying tournament will be announced soon.
Find more information about the venue:
Houston, Texas
- Stadium: Minute Maid Park
- Usual tenants: Houston Astros
- Stadium capacity: 41,000
- Times hosted: 0
- Last hosted: N/A
Minute Maid Park will host the World Baseball Classic for the first time, but the stadium is not used to hosting major baseball events. The Astros have played in the ALCS every year since his 2017. (The 2020 ALCS was held at Petco Park in San Diego (due to the pandemic.)
The city of Houston also hopes to host a number of international tournaments in 2026: World Baseball・After the Classic, the summer tournament will be held at nearby NRG Stadium FIFA World Cup
Miami, Florida
- Stadium: loanDepot park
- Usual tenants: Miami Marlins
- Stadium capacity: 37,442
- Times hosted: 4
- Last hosted: 2023
One of the greatest moments in baseball history occurred during the final moments of the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami. Which baseball fan can’t recall being there when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout with one run remaining to give Japan their first championship since 2009?
Miami has been his host city every year since 2009, including Japan’s remarkable comeback against Mexico in the 2023 semifinals and Nelson Cruz, who helped the Dominican Republic defeat the United States his 7-5. We’ve seen many great moments, including his three-run home run. , in 2017, they defeated Puerto Rico in the second round of the 2009 tournament on David Wright’s bases-loaded walk-off single.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Stadium: Hiram Bithorn Stadium
- Usual tenants: Cangrejeros de Santurce
- Stadium capacity: 18,000
- Times hosted: 3
- Last hosted: 2013
Puerto Rico finished as runners-up in the tournament in 2013 and 2017, and is aiming to finally win the championship in 2026. Perhaps Hiram Bithorn Stadium will return as his first group stage venue since 2013. Help us change that.
“The return of the World Baseball Classic to Puerto Rico reaffirms our city’s capacity to host major international events and our commitment to bring the best baseball in the world to our shores,” Hon. Miguel Romero, Mayor of San Juan, said. “We are fully prepared to deliver a top-tier experience, showcasing not only our enduring love for baseball, but also the resilient, forward-looking spirit of San Juan and Puerto Rico.”
Hiram Bithorn Stadium, which was formerly the interim home of the Montreal Expos, has witnessed many memorable WBC events. These include the 12-2 mercy-rule victory of Puerto Rico over Cuba in 2006, the WBC record no-hitter pitched by Shairon Martis against Panama, and the Dominican Republic’s start of an undefeated 2013 Classic campaign in the Puerto Rico pool.
Tokyo, Japan
- Stadium: Tokyo Dome
- Usual tenants: Yomiuri Giants
- Stadium capacity: 46,000
- Times hosted: 5
- Last hosted: 2023
The only venue to host a World Baseball Classic every time, certainly Tokyo fans will participate in the 2023 tournament as one of the world’s biggest baseball fans. While Samurai Japan was running for their third WBC title, Tokyo Dome drew 361,976 spectators, breaking the tournament’s all-time attendance record, while simultaneously It recorded the highest average number of attendees (36,198 people). in the history of the competition.
Japan is not only a three-time champion and the only country to win the title back-to-back (2006, 2009), but also the first ever World Baseball Classic game to be played at the Tokyo Dome It was held at On March 3, 2006, South Korea defeated Chinese Taipei with his score of 2-0, and Japan defeated China with her score of 18-2.
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