World Baseball Classic 2023: Schedule,TV Channels, Venues & Team Pools Ahead Of Return

The WBC (World Baseball Classic) has returned.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation and Major League Baseball (MLB) have partnered to jointly sanction this event, which is the greatest international competition for men’s baseball and is making a six-year comeback.

In contrast to other significant men’s baseball competitions, MLB players are welcome to and will play in the WBC.

The final event will include 20 teams for the first time (up from 16), with four teams having advanced from the preliminary qualifying round.

Team USA is the reigning champion from 2017, and the 2021 competition has been postponed because of the epidemic. Games will be played between March 8 and 21 in both the United States and Asia before the championship game at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.

How to watch 2023 WBC live -TV Channels

Fox Sports has the exclusive rights to the tournament in the United States, and will broadcast on Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, the Fox Sports App, and Fox Deportes in Spanish.

In Japan, the WBC will be on TV Asahi and TBS, as well as streaming on J SPORTS and Amazon Prime Video (selected games only).

Schedule – World Baseball Classics warm-up showcase games

The remaining 10 teams based in the United States will each receive two warm-up games against MLB clubs during the league’s Spring Training period, as their tournaments do not start until March 11. The 10 teams not based in the United States will play two exhibition games against regional or domestic club teams at their respective training bases.

MLB players will have the opportunity to represent their national teams against their regular franchise clubs, which will make for some fascinating matchups.

Sunday March 5

  • Panama @ local team, Taichung, island of Taiwan (2pm local time)
  • Italy @ local team, Taichung (2pm local time)
  • Cuba @ local team, Taichung (2pm local time)
  • Chinese Taipei @ local team, Taichung (7pm local time)
  • Netherlands @ local team, Taichung (7pm local time)

Monday March 6

  • Panama @ local team, Taichung (2pm local time)
  • Italy @ local team, Taichung (2pm local time)
  • Cuba @ local team, Taichung (7pm local time)
  • Chinese Taipei @ local team, Taichung (7pm local time)
  • Netherlands @ local team, Taichung (7pm local time)
  • People’s Republic of China @ local team, Miyazaki, Japan (12pm local time)
  • Republic of Korea @ Orix Buffaloes, Osaka, Japan (12pm local time)
  • Australia @ local team, Miyazaki (12pm local time)
  • Japan @ Hanshin Tigers, Osaka (6pm local time)
  • Czechia @ local team, Miyazaki (7pm local time)

Tuesday March 7

  • China @ local team, Miyazaki (12pm local time)
  • Rep. Korea @ Hanshin Tigers, Osaka (12pm local time)
  • Australia @ local team, Miyazaki (12pm local time)
  • Czechia @ local team, Miyazaki (7pm local time)
  • Japan @ Orix Buffaloes, Osaka (7pm local time)

Wednesday March 8

  • Canada @ Chicago Cubs, Mesa, Arizona (1:05pm local time)
  • Colombia @ Oakland Athletics, Mesa (1:05pm local time)
  • Mexico @ Cleveland Guardians, Goodyear, Arizona (1:05pm local time)
  • Great Britain @ Milwaukee Brewers, Phoenix, Arizona (1:10pm local time)
  • USA @ San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale, Arizona (7:05pm local time)
  • Puerto Rico @ Boston Red Sox, Lee County, Florida (1:05pm local time)
  • Dominican Republic @ Atlanta Braves, North Port, Florida (1:05pm local time)
  • Venezuela @ Houston Astros, West Palm Beach, Florida (6:05pm local time)
  • Nicaragua @ New York Mets, Port St. Lucie, Florida (6:10pm local time)
  • Israel @ Miami Marlins, Jupiter, Florida (6:40pm local time)

Thursday March 9

  • Colombia @ Chicago White Sox, Glendale, Arizona (1:05pm local time)
  • Great Britain @ Kansas City Royals, Surprise, Arizona (1:05pm local time)
  • Mexico @ Colorado Rockies, Scottsdale (1:10pm local time)
  • USA @ Los Angeles Angels, Tempe, Arizona (1:10pm local time)
  • Canada @ Seattle Mariners, Peoria, Arizona (1:10pm local time)
  • Puerto Rico @ Tampa Bay Rays, Port Charlotte, Florida (1:05pm local time)
  • Dominican Republic @ Minnesota Twins, Lee County (1:05pm local time)
  • Nicaragua @ St. Louis Cardinals, Jupiter (1:05pm local time)
  • Venezuela @ New York Mets, Port St. Lucie (1:10pm local time)
  • Israel @ Washington Nationals, West Palm Beach (6:05pm local time)

World Baseball Classics 2023 schedule – Pool play and final rounds

Pool A

Host venue: Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, Taichung

Host Federation: Chinese Taipei

Local time is UTC +8 hours, EST +13 hours, PST +16 hours, JST -1 hour

  • Cuba @ Netherlands, March 8, 12pm
  • Panama @ Chinese Taipei, March 8, 7pm
  • Panama @ Netherlands, March 9, 12pm
  • Italy @ Cuba, March 9, 7pm
  • Cuba @ Panama, March 10, 12:30pm
  • Italy @ Chinese Taipei, March 10, 7pm
  • Panama @ Italy, March 11, 12pm
  • Netherlands @ Chinese Taipei, March 11, 7pm
  • Chinese Taipei @ Cuba, March 12, 12pm
  • Netherlands @ Italy, March 12, 7pm*

*U.S. Daylight Savings Time begins on March 12. Local time is EDT +12 hours, PDT +15 hours.

Pool B

Host venue: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo

Host Federation: Japan

Local time is UTC +9 hours, EST +14 hours, PST +17 hours

  • Australia @ Rep. Korea, March 9, 12pm
  • China @ Japan, March 9, 7pm
  • Czechia @ China, March 10, 12pm
  • Rep. Korea @ Japan, March 10, 7pm
  • China @ Australia, March 11, 12pm
  • Czechia @ Japan, March 11, 7pm
  • Czechia @ Rep. Korea, March 12, 12pm
  • Japan @ Australia, March 12, 7pm*
  • Australia @ Czechia, March 13, 12pm*
  • Rep. Korea @ China, March 13, 7pm*

*U.S. Daylight Savings Time begins on March 12. Local time is EDT +13 hours, PDT +16 hours.

Pool C

Host venue: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona

Host Federation: USA

Local time is UTC/GMT -7 hours, EST -2 hours, PST +1 hour, JST -16 hours

  • Colombia @ Mexico, March 11, 12:30pm
  • Great Britain @ USA, March 11, 7pm
  • Great Britain @ Canada, March 12, 12pm*
  • Mexico @ USA, March 12, 7pm*
  • Colombia @ Great Britain, March 13, 12pm*
  • Canada @ USA, March 13, 7pm*
  • Canada @ Colombia, March 14, 12pm*
  • Great Britain @ Mexico, March 14, 7pm*
  • Mexico @ Canada, March 15, 12pm*
  • USA @ Colombia, March 15, 7pm*

*Phoenix does not observe Daylight Savings Time. When it begins on March 12, local time will be EDT -3 hours and the same time as PDT.

Pool D

Host venue: LoanDepot Park, Miami, Florida

Host Federation: USA

Local time is UTC -5 hours, PST +3 hours, JST -14 hours

  • Nicaragua @ Puerto Rico, March 11, 12pm
  • Dominican Republic @ Venezuela, March 11, 7pm
  • Nicaragua @ Israel, March 12, 12pm*
  • Venezuela @ Puerto Rico, March 12, 7pm*
  • Dominican Republic @ Nicaragua, March 13, 12pm*
  • Israel @ Puerto Rico, March 13, 7pm*
  • Nicaragua @ Venezuela, March 14, 12pm*
  • Israel @ Dominican Republic, March 14, 7pm*
  • Venezuela @ Israel, March 15, 12pm*
  • Puerto Rico @ Dominican Republic, March 15, 7pm*

*Daylight Savings Time begins on March 12. The time difference to PDT does not change. Local daylight savings time is UTC -4 hours and JST -13 hours.

Second round (quarter-finals)

  • Quarter-final 1*: Pool B runner-up @ Pool A winner, Tokyo Dome, March 15, 7pm
  • Quarter-final 2*: Pool A runner-up @ Pool B winner, Tokyo Dome, March 16, 7pm
  • Quarter-final 3*: Pool C runner-up @ Pool D winner, LoanDepot Park, March 17, 7pm
  • Quarter-final 4*: Pool D runner-up @ Pool C winner, LoanDepot Park, March 18, 7pm

*If Japan or USA qualifies for this round, they will play in Quarter-final 2 and 4 respectively regardless of their position.

Championship round

All matches in the Championship round will be played at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

  • Semi-final 1: Quarter-final 1 winner @ Quarter-final 3 winner, March 19, 7pm
  • Semi-final 2: Quarter-final 2 winner @ Quarter-final 4 winner, March 20, 7pm
  • Final: Semi-final 1 winner @ Semi-final 2 winner, March 21, 7pm

Here are the final pools for the 2023 World Baseball Classics:

The World Baseball Classic will resume in 2023 after a two-year break due to the epidemic. World Baseball Classic, Inc. released the dates, locations, and pools for the 2023 WBC in July (WBCI). The World Baseball Classic will be contested all over the world in the spring of 2019 after two qualifying tournaments were staged in September.

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) will include 20 teams for the first time in this, its fifth edition. Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States, and Venezuela are among the 16 nations that will automatically qualify for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The remaining four slots in the qualifying competitions were gained by Panama, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, and Great Britain.

POOL A POOL B POOL C POOL D
Dates March 8-13 March 9-13 March 11-15 March 11-15
Location Taichung, Taiwan Tokyo, Japan Phoenix, Arizona Miami, Florida
Teams Chinese Taipei Australia Canada Dominican Republic
Cuba China Colombia Israel
Italy Japan Mexico Puerto Rico
Netherlands Korea USA Venezuela
Panama Czech Republic Great Britain Nicaragua

The WBC, which is a best-on-best competition that is a cornerstone of MLB’s attempts to expand the game internationally, features the greatest talent in the world. Prior to the Dominican Republic winning the 2013 championship, Japan won the 2006 and 2009 competitions. In the 2017 WBC, the United States defeated Puerto Rico.

Bruce Sherman, owner of the Marlins, said in a statement, “Along with our fans, partners, and the entire South Florida community, we are honoured Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association have selected loanDepot park to host all three rounds of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. “We are looking forward to hosting spectators from across the world to loanDepot Park to support many of the best players competing in this important event,”

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