The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway, and Team USA will play its first game of the tournament Friday night in Houston. The Americans will face Brazil to open group play. Team USA has put together its most star-studded roster in the history of the tournament, led by captain Aaron Judge and highlighted by stars including Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Pete Crow-Armstrong and more. The rotation, meanwhile, is headlined by Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes.
Will that be enough to take down the defending champions? Team Japan opened play with a dominant 13-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Tokyo on Friday. Shohei Ohtani hit a grand slam as part of Japan’s 10-run second inning, and his Dodger teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 2 â…” scoreless innings.Â
Team USA, Japan and the Dominican Republic — with a powerful lineup that features Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. among other stars — are considered the favorites to win the tournament.
World Baseball Classic Power Rankings: Team USA boasts loaded squad; Dominican Republic, Japan bulk up
Matt Snyder
The 20-team tournament is running from March 5-17 at four locations: Miami; Houston; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Tokyo. The Championship Game will be played on March 17 at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. Pool play is a round robin double-elimination tournament. The top two teams in Pools A and B will meet in the quarterfinals in Houston, while the top two teams in Pools C and D will meet in the quarterfinals in Miami. The semifinals and finals will again be played in Miami. After pool play, the rest of the tournament is single elimination.
All 47 games of the 2026 WBC will be broadcast by Fox and affiliated networks, including FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes and Tubi. Games can also be streamed on fubo (Try for free).
(All times are Eastern)
WBC Pool Play
Wednesday, March 4
Australia 3, Chinese Taipei 0
Thursday, March 5
Korea 11, Czechia 4
Australia 5, Czechia 1
Friday, March 6
Japan 13, Chinese Taipei 0
Cuba vs. Panama (11 a.m., FS2)
Netherlands vs. Venezuela (12 p.m., Tubi)
Mexico vs. Great Britain (1 p.m., FS1)
Puerto Rico vs. Colombia (6 p.m., FS1)
Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic (7 p.m., FS2)
USA vs. Brazil (8 p.m., Fox)
Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia (10 p.m., FS2)
Saturday, March 7
Korea vs. Japan (5 a.m., FS1)
Colombia vs. Canada (11 a.m., FS2)
Nicaragua vs. Netherlands (12 p.m., Tubi)
Brazil vs. Italy (1 p.m., Fox Sports App)
Panama vs. Puerto Rico (6 p.m., FS1)
Israel vs. Venezuela (7 p.m., FS2)
Great Britain vs. USA (8 p.m., Fox)
Chinese Taipei vs. Korea (10 p.m., FS2)
Sunday, March 8
Australia vs. Japan (6 a.m., FS1)
Colombia vs. Cuba (12 p.m., FS2)
Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic (12 p.m., Fox)
Great Britain vs. Italy (1 p.m., Tubi)
Panama vs. Canada (7 p.m., FS2)
Nicaragua vs. Israel (7 p.m., Tubi)
Brazil vs. Mexico (8 p.m., FS1)
Monday, March 9
Korea vs. Australia (6 a.m., FS1)
Colombia vs. Panama (12 p.m., FS2)
Dominican Republic vs. Israel (12 p.m., FS1)
Brazil vs. Great Britain (1 p.m., Tubi)
Venezuela vs. Nicaragua (7 p.m., FS2)
Cuba vs. Puerto Rico (7 p.m., FS1)
Mexico vs. United States (8 p.m., Fox)
Tuesday, March 10
Czechia vs. Japan (6 a.m., FS1)
Israel vs. Netherlands (7 p.m., Fox)
Canada vs. Puerto Rico (7 p.m., Tubi)
Italy vs. United States (9 p.m., FS1)
Wednesday, March 11
Canada vs. Cuba (3 p.m., FS2)
Italy vs. Mexico (7 p.m., Tubi)
Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela (8 p.m., FS1)
WBC Quarterfinals
Friday, March 13
TBD vs. TBD in Miami (6:30 p.m., FS2)
TBD vs. TBD in Houston (8 p.m., Fox)
Saturday, March 14
TBD vs. TBD in Houston (3 p.m., FS1)
TBD vs. TBD in Miami (9 p.m., Fox)
WBC Semifinals
Sunday, March 15
TBD vs. TBD in Miami (8 p.m., FS1)
Monday, March 16
TBD vs. TBD in Miami (8 p.m., FS1)
WBC Championship
Tuesday, March 17
TBD vs. TBD in Miami (8 p.m., Fox)
