Major League Baseball has announced the locations for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. LoanDepot Park in Miami will host the championship round, while Tokyo and Houston will host the group stage. In addition, Houston and Miami will also host the quarterfinals, with Miami being the location for the semifinals and championship game.
This will be the second consecutive time that LoanDepot Park hosts the semifinals and championship. In 2023, Japan defeated the United States 3-2 in a memorable final where Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout faced off in the top of the ninth inning.
Tokyo is one of only three cities that has hosted at least one round of the World Baseball Classic since its inception in 2006. Miami has been a consistent host city since 2009. The 2023 tournament featured a record 20 national teams, and it is expected that there will be another record number of teams participating in the 2026 event, with 16 spots already accounted for by top finishers in pool play.
The final four spots for the tournament will be determined at qualifying tournaments to be held in 2025. Japan has had more success at this tournament than any other country, winning gold three times, while Canada and Cuba have also won medals several times each. Official details about these qualifying tournaments and the start date of
