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