The official schedule for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) set to be held in 2026 has been finalized.
Major League Baseball's official media, MLB.com, reported on the 10th (Korean time) that "the 4 teams that passed the qualifiers for the 2026 WBC include Colombia (Group A), Brazil (Group B), Taiwan (Group C), and Nicaragua (Group D), and all group stages and tournament schedules have been confirmed."
A total of 20 teams will participate in the 2026 WBC. Each group will consist of 5 countries, and the group stage games will be held at venues including Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, and Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals held on March 14 and 15 in Houston and Miami, with the semifinals and finals taking place from the 16th in Miami.
South Korea has been placed in Group C along with Japan, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Taiwan. With the exception of China being replaced by Taiwan, they are facing the same countries as in the 2023 tournament. South Korea recorded a 2-win, 2-loss record, finishing 3rd in the group stage, failing to advance to the quarterfinals. At that time, Japan (4 wins) and Australia (3 wins, 1 loss) advanced to the quarterfinals as the top two in the group, with Japan claiming the championship.
Since the runner-up finish in the 2009 WBC, the South Korean national team has struggled to achieve favorable results in the WBC. They have failed to advance to the main round in three consecutive tournaments in 2013, 2017, and 2023, disappointing fans significantly. However, MLB.com still evaluated South Korea as one of the key competitors for the next tournament.
"Since 2009, South Korea has not passed the group stage even once and faced a disappointing conclusion in 2023," noted MLB.com, which also indicated that "San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-seong Kim hit 3 home runs, and LG Twins outfielder Jung-hoo Lee had 6 hits in 14 at-bats with 5 RBIs, but the bullpen struggled, resulting in losses to Japan and Australia." Nevertheless, MLB.com stated, "It seems that South Korea could return to the medal contention in 2026," expressing hopes for South Korea's success in the 2026 WBC.
South Korea will face the Czech Republic in their first match on March 5, 2026. They are scheduled to meet Japan on the 7th, Taiwan on the 8th, and Australia on the 9th.
Meanwhile, Group A consists of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia, Group B includes the United States, Mexico, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, and Group D consists of Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel, and Nicaragua.
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