The 2026 World Baseball Classic pool play stage concluded on March 11, 2026, with Italy, Canada, and the Dominican Republic claiming the final top seeds in their respective pools. The tournament now moves to the Quarterfinals (March 13–14), which will be hosted at Daikin Park in Houston and loanDepot park in Miami. Team USA (3-1) has officially advanced as the runner-up in Pool B and will face Canada this Friday night in Houston.

WBC 2026 Schedule at a Glance

Final WBC Pool Play Results (March 11)

WBC Quarterfinal Schedule: The Knockout Stage

All games will be broadcast on the FOX Sports family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2).

Friday, March 13

• Game 1 (Miami): South Korea vs. Dominican Republic | 6:30 PM ET (FS2)
• Game 2 (Houston): USA vs. Canada | 8:00 PM ET (FOX)

Saturday, March 14

• Game 3 (Houston): Puerto Rico vs. Italy | 3:00 PM ET (FS1)
• Game 4 (Miami): Venezuela vs. Japan | 9:00 PM ET (FOX)

Key Tournament Notes

• Pool C Tiebreaker: South Korea, Australia, and Chinese Taipei all finished 2-2. South Korea advances because they allowed the fewest runs per defensive out in games between the three tied teams.

• The “Relegation” Battle: Great Britain (Pool B) and Colombia (Pool A) both finished with 1 win, ensuring they do not finish last and are automatically qualified for the 2029 WBC.

• Tonight’s Big Game: Keep an eye on Italy vs. USA (9 PM ET). If Italy pulls the upset, Pool B will descend into a three-way tiebreaker chaos between the USA, Italy, and Mexico.

2026 WBC Schedule, Bracket & Tournament Info

The tournament features four round-robin pools, with the top two teams from each advancing to a single-elimination Quarterfinal bracket.

• Pool A (San Juan): Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, Colombia (Starts March 6)
• Pool B (Houston): USA, Mexico, Italy, Great Britain, Brazil (Starts March 6)
• Pool C (Tokyo): Japan, South Korea, Australia, Czechia, Chinese Taipei (Starts March 4 ET)
• Pool D (Miami): Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Netherlands, Israel, Nicaragua (Starts March 6)

2026 World Baseball Classic Schedule & Tournament Format Overview

Here’s the 2026 World Baseball Classic Schedule & Tournament format overview for you. 

• Pool Play: Four pools of five teams each play a round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool advance to the quarterfinals.
• Knockout Rounds: Single-elimination quarterfinals (March 13-14), semifinals (March 15-16), and final (March 17). All knockout games are in Miami or Houston.
• Total Games: Approximately 40+ games, including pool play and playoffs.
• Key Rules: Designated pitcher pool (DPP) allows teams to add pitchers mid-tournament; pitch count limits protect arms.

2026 WBC Teams & Pools

The 20 teams were finalized after qualifiers in 2025, with pots based on WBSC rankings and host considerations. Here’s the breakdown of the 2026 WBC Teams & pools for you. 

Notable qualifiers include Brazil (first since 2013), Colombia, Chinese Taipei, and Nicaragua. Hosts are seeded in Pot 1 for their pools.

2026 WBC Pool Play Schedule

In the 2026 WBC Pool Play schedule, each team plays four games in a round-robin. Times are local to the venue (adjust for your timezone: AST for San Juan, CST for Houston, JST for Tokyo, EST for Miami). Broadcasts on FOX/FS1/MLB Network where noted. Full matchups and times per official MLB announcements; some are subject to change. We will update the times that are TBD once confirmed by the WBC organizers. 

WBC Pool A Schedule (Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan – All Times AST)

All times AST.

Teams in Pool A: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico (host).

(Partial matchups based on available data; full round-robin includes all pairings.)

WBC Pool B Schedule (Daikin Park, Houston – All Times CST)

Teams: Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, United States.

(USA’s key games highlighted; full schedule per WBC announcements.)

WBC Pool C Schedule (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo – All Times JST)

Pool C – Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan) – March 5–10, 2026All times JST (e.g., 7:00 PM JST ≈ 5:00 AM ET early March; adjust for U.S. DST starting March 8).

Teams in Pool C: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan (host), South Korea.

(Tokyo starts a day early due to time zones.)

WBC Pool D Schedule (loanDepot park, Miami – All Times EST)

Teams: Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela.

Notes: Pool D is considered a “bloodbath” group with powerhouses Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Netherlands competing fiercely (plus underdogs Israel and Nicaragua). Many games stream on Tubi for free. The Dominican Republic-Venezuela matchup (likely March 9 or rotated) is a highlight, with FS1 coverage noted for similar high-stakes pool games. Tiebreakers (if standings require) would fall on March 11.

(Potential “Group of Death” with heavy hitters.)

“Road to the Championship” (Knockout Stage)

The 2026 WBC Bracket transitions from Pool Play to a single-elimination format starting March 13. Here is the path to the trophy:

• Quarterfinals (March 13–14): The top two finishers from Pools A and B will meet at Minute Maid Park in Houston, while the top two from Pools C and D will face off at loanDepot park in Miami.
• Semifinals (March 15–16): All remaining teams move to Miami for the final four matchups.
• Championship Game (March 17): The 2026 WBC winner will be crowned in Miami (7:00 p.m. ET on FOX).

2026 WBC Knockout Bracket & Schedule

The top two from each pool advance to single-elimination. Quarterfinals are crossed (e.g., Pool A winner vs. Pool B runner-up). All games on FOX.

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Championship

Printable 2026 WBC Bracket

Download our free printable PDF bracket to fill in results as they happen. Includes pools, advancement paths, and knockout stages. Blank template for pools and full tournament tracking. The current WBC bracket is saved locally here for you and can be saved or printed to PDF format. Once we have teams earning spots, we’ll update you here. 

Venues & Tickets

• Hiram Bithorn Stadium (San Juan): Capacity ~18,000; Hosts Pool A.
• Daikin Park (Houston): New venue; Hosts Pool B and some QFs.
• Tokyo Dome (Tokyo): Iconic dome; Hosts Pool C.
• loanDepot park (Miami): Hosts Pool D, QFs, semis, and final.

Tickets on sale via MLB.com. For more, check official WBC updates.

Updated Site Resources

• Download: 2026 WBC Knockout Bracket PDF
• Printable 2026 March Madness Auto-Bid Tracker

Related MLB Content

Looking for more baseball schedules? Check out our detailed guides:

• 2026 MLB Schedule: Printable, TV Lineups
• 2026 MLB Playoff Schedule: Bracket and Matchups

2026 World Baseball Classic: Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is the favorite to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic? Team USA entered the tournament as the odds-on favorite (-110) to win the title, followed closely by Japan (+350) and the Dominican Republic (+400). As of March 8, the Americans and Samurai Japan remain the teams to beat after both started pool play with perfect 2-0 records.

• How many teams advance to the 2026 WBC Quarterfinals? The top two teams from each of the four pools (A, B, C, and D) based on win-loss percentage will advance to the knockout stage. In total, eight teams will move on to the Quarterfinals held in Houston and Miami.

• What is the tiebreaker for the WBC standings? If teams are tied at the end of pool play, the following tiebreakers are applied in order:

1. Head-to-head winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
2. Lowest quotient of runs allowed divided by the number of defensive innings played.
3. Lowest quotient of earned runs allowed divided by the number of defensive innings played.
4. Highest batting average in games between the tied teams.

• Where can I watch the WBC games today? In the United States, the 2026 WBC is broadcast exclusively across the FOX Sports family of networks, including FOX, FS1, FS2, and FOX Deportes. Major matchups, like Sunday’s Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic game, air on the main FOX network.

• Can I stream the World Baseball Classic for free? You can stream games live via the FOX Sports App and FOXSports.com by logging in with your TV provider credentials. Additionally, several matchups throughout the tournament are available for free on Tubi.

• When and where is the 2026 WBC Championship game? The World Baseball Classic Final will take place on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida. The game is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on FOX.

• Is Shohei Ohtani playing for Japan in 2026? Yes, Shohei Ohtani is the headline star for Team Japan. While he is not expected to pitch in this tournament due to his recovery schedule, he remains their primary designated hitter and has already been a major factor in Japan’s 2-0 start in Pool C.

Will Lewis Editor, Author

Will Lewis has covered sports for over 18 years, specializing in bracketology, tournament predictions, and in-depth analysis across college hoops, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and more. March Madness is his favorite season, fueling his quest for perfect brackets before diving into pro playoffs. A lifelong Kentucky Wildcats fan, Bengals supporter since the Joe Montana era, and now a Padres devotee, Will delivers reliable, fan-first insights at Sports Brackets. Connect on X or comment. He loves talking brackets and more.

See Full Bio

NFL NHL MLB College Football College Basketball NBA Golf Soccer