Baseball5 World Cup

Baseball5 World Cup

Most recent season or competition: 2024 Baseball5 World Cup
Sport	Baseball5
First season	2022
Administrator	World Baseball Softball Confederation
No. of teams	12
Most recent champion(s)	Cuba (2nd title) (2024)
Most titles	Cuba (2 titles)
Related competitions	Youth Baseball5 World Cup
Official website	baseball5.wbsc.org

The Baseball5 World Cup (B5WC, and sometimes referred to as the Senior Baseball5 World Cup)^[1] is a mixed-gender Baseball5 (B5) world championship that occurs every two years, with the first edition held in 2022 in Mexico and contested by 12 countries.^[2][3] It is governed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).^[4]

History

The inaugural B5WC was originally planned to happen in December 2020 in Mexico.^[5] The COVID-19 pandemic led to the delay of the B5WC to June 2021;^[6] however, the continued impact of the pandemic delayed the B5WC further. It was later decided that the WC would be played every two years, starting in 2022.^[3]

The 14-team 2020 European Baseball5 Championship held in February and March saw France and Lithuania take the two available Europe berths to qualify for the inaugural B5WC.^[7][8] The Oceania qualifier was scheduled to be played in Australia in 2021.^[9] The Asia qualifiers were scheduled to be played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in April 2021,^[10] but were then postponed due to COVID-19 to August 17–19, 2022.^[11][2]

The first edition of the tournament, held in Mexico City, was won by Cuba, who finished the championship undefeated.^[12]

In April 2023, it was confirmed that Hong Kong will host the second edition of the tournament, from October 7 to 12, 2024.^[13] On the eve of the tournament, it was announced that future editions will have 16 teams (split into four groups) and play 56 games total.^[14]

In October 2024 it was announced that Rome will host the 2026 tournament.^[15]

Format

The 16 countries participating in the World Cup are geographically broken down as follows:^[16]

• The host nation automatically qualifies.
• The host nation of the previous edition automatically qualifies.
• 4 countries from the Americas
• 3 from Europe
• 2 from Africa
• 3 from Asia
• 1 from Oceania
• 1 Wild Card (selected by WBSC)

The 16 countries play a total of 56 games over four or five days.^[16]

Each team has five active players and eight players total on the roster, with the mixed-gender nature of the tournament requiring teams to have half of their roster to be of each gender, and at least two active players per gender in the game.^[5][17]

Players must be a minimum of 15 years old (though they can be 14 during the tournament and turn 15 later in the year).^[18]

Results

Year	Host		Final				Third place game
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place
2022 Details	Mexico City		Cuba	2–0	Japan		Chinese Taipei	2–0	Venezuela
2024 Details	Hong Kong		Cuba	2–0	Japan		France	2–0	Venezuela

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Cuba	2	0	0	2
2	Japan	0	2	0	2
3	Chinese Taipei	0	0	1	1
	France	0	0	1	1
Totals (4 entries)		2	2	2	6

Participating nations

• 1st — Champion
• 2nd — Runner-up
• 3rd — Third place
• # — Position
• × — Withdrew
•     — Hosts

Teams	2022	2024	Years
Australia	×	12th	1
China		9th	1
Chinese Taipei	3rd	5th	2
Cuba	1st	1st	2
France	9th	3rd	2
Hong Kong	12th	10th	2
Japan	2nd	2nd	2
Kenya	8th		1
Lithuania	11th	8th	2
Mexico	5th	6th	2
South Africa	7th	11th	2
South Korea	10th		1
Tunisia	6th	7th	2
Venezuela	4th	4th	2
No. of Teams	12	12

See also

• Youth Baseball5 World Cup
• Baseball5 Asia Cup
• Baseball5 European Championship

References

1. WBSC Baseball5 World Cups Hosting Bid Outline (Archived 8 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine) World Baseball Softball Confederation
2. "WBSC Asia Baseball5 World Cup Qualifier to take place in Malaysia". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
3. "Inaugural Baseball5 World Cup to take place in 2022". www.insidethegames.biz. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
4. "New bidding guidelines revealed for WBSC Baseball, Softball, Baseball5 World Cups – Asia Softball Confederation". Retrieved 2021-10-07.
5. "Continental quota confirmed for Baseball5 World Cup & Youth Baseball5 World Cup". wbsc.org. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
6. "WBSC Executive Board postpones Baseball5 World Cups to June 2021". wbsc.org. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
7. "France win inaugural Baseball5 European title by defeating Lithuania". www.insidethegames.biz. 1 March 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
8. "France are the first Baseball5 European champions". wbsc.org. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
9. "Baseball Australia". baseball.com.au. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
10. "OCA » Kuala Lumpur to host first continental qualifier for Baseball5 World Cup". ocasia.org. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
11. "Asia Cup Baseball5, qualifiers for WBSC World Cup, postponed to a later date". wbsc.org. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
12. "Cuba crowned first ever WBSC Baseball5 World Champions". World Baseball Softball Confederation. 12 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
13. Tavarez, Tuto (2023-04-20). "Copa Mundial de Béisbol 5 será en Hong Kong 2024". Momento Deportivo RD (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-05.
14. "Growth of Baseball5 sees WBSC approve expanded format for future World Cups". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
15. "Rome, Italy to host the 2026 Baseball5 World Cup". fibs.it. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
16. "WBSC reveals Continent Quota for expanded Baseball5 and Youth Baseball5 World Cups". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
17. OFFICIAL WBSC BASEBALL5 RULEBOOK 2021 (Archived 26 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine) World Baseball Softball Confederation "In mixed gender competitions the defensive team must have at all times a minimum of two athletes per gender on the field."
18. "From 14 to 45 years old - WBSC Baseball5 World Cup open to everyone". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 2024-10-23.

External links

• Official website
• Baseball5 at WBSC.org