2021 World Baseball Classic

The 2021 World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international professional baseball tournament scheduled to be the fifth iteration of the WBC. The 2021 edition was canceled in May 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is unlikely to be played until 2023.[1] The tournament had been expanded to accommodate 20 national teams from 16 teams of the 2017 edition.[2]

Main article: World Baseball Classic
2021 World Baseball Classic
Tournament details
Host countries Japan
 Taiwan
 United States
Dates March 9–23
Teams20
Defending champions United States (2017)
← 2017

Qualification
Main article: 2021 World Baseball Classic qualification

In January 2020, the WBC announced the 16 national teams which participated at the 2017 World Baseball Classic will automatically qualify for the tournament.[3]

A qualifying tournament was scheduled for March 2020 in Tucson, Arizona, United States to determine the last four teams.[3] Twelve teams were split into two pools, and the top two teams in each pool will qualify.[2] On March 12, 2020, Major League Baseball announced that the qualifying tournaments were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Team Method of qualification Classic appearance Previous best position
 Australia 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 1
 Canada 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 1
 China 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 1
 Chinese Taipei 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 2 (2013)
 Colombia 2017 World Baseball Classic 2nd Round 1
 Cuba 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Runners-up (2006)
 Dominican Republic 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Champions (2013)
 Italy 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 2 (2013)
 Israel 2017 World Baseball Classic 2nd Round 2 (2017)
 Japan 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Champions (2006, 2009)
 Mexico 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Round 2 (2006, 2009)
 Netherlands 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Fourth place (2013, 2017)
 Puerto Rico 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Runners-up (2013, 2017)
 South Korea 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Runners-up (2009)
 United States 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Champions (2017)
 Venezuela 2017 World Baseball Classic 5th Third place (2009)
TBD Qualifier 1 Winners
TBD Qualifier 1 Runners-up
TBD Qualifier 2 Winners
TBD Qualifier 2 Runners-up

Venues

Four stadiums are planned to be used during the main tournament.[5]

Pool A Pool B & Quarterfinals Pool C Pool D, Quarterfinals & Championship
Taichung, Taiwan Tokyo, Japan Phoenix, United States Miami, United States
Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium Tokyo Dome Chase Field Marlins Park
Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 45,600 Capacity: 48,686 Capacity: 36,742

References
  1. [The 2021 edition "2021 World Baseball Classic canceled; event may not return until 2023, report says"] Check |url= value (help). cbs sports. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. "Qualifiers set for expanded 2021 World Baseball Classic". Agence France-Presse. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  3. Nelson, Adam (30 January 2020). "World Baseball Classic to expand to 20 teams for 2021 edition". Sportbusiness.com.
  4. "Major League Baseball to delay 2020 Opening Day by at least two weeks". MLB.com Press Release. March 12, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  5. https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-venues
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