Three years after one of the most exciting endings in World Baseball Classic history, a 2023 matchup between Angels OF Mike Trout vs. then-Angles P/DH Shohei Ohtani for the WBC Championship, Japan and the USA emerge as top contenders for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Both Japan and USA begin their 2026 WBC schedule in pool play on Friday, March 6 — Japan takes on Taiwain (recognized as Chinese Taipei) at 5 a.m. ET on FS1, with USA vs. Brazil in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Below, find the complete 2026 World Baseball Classic schedule, plus the chances of each team to win their group and the entire tournamemt.
You can make your WBC picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on WBC game winners, spreads, and totals.
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2026 World Baseball Classic Schedule, Dates
Here are the dates for each stage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Pool Play: March 4-11
Quarterfinals: March 13 & 14
Semifinals: March 15 & 16
Final: March 17
Full 2026 World Baseball Classic Schedule, Format, Bracket
Each of the four WBC pools consists of five teams playing in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout stage, which consists of a single-elimination quarterfinals, semifinals, culminating in the championship game.
2026 WBC Schedule for Pool Play
Here is the complete schedule for the pool play in the World Baseball Classic.
All times are EST, and each game is broadcast on FOX and its family of networks — the exact network for each game is indicated in parentheses.
Wednesday, March 4
10 p.m.: Australia vs. Chinese Taipei (FS1)
Thursday, March 5
5 a.m.: South Korea vs. Czechia (FS1)
10 p.m.: Czechia vs. Australia (FS1)
Friday, March 6
5 a.m.: Chinese Taipei vs. Japan (FS1)
11 a.m.: Panama vs. Cuba (FS2)
Noon: Venezuela vs. Netherlands (Tubi)
1 p.m.: Great Britain vs. Mexico (FS1)
6 p.m.: Colombia vs. Puerto Rico (FS1)
7 p.m.: Dominican Republic vs. Nicaragua (FS2)
8 p.m.: Brazil vs. U.S. (Fox)
10 p.m.: Czechia vs. Chinese Taipei (FS2)
Saturday, March 7
5 a.m.: Japan vs. South Korea (FS1)
11 a.m.: Canada vs. Colombia (FS2)
12 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Nicaragua (Tubi)
1 p.m.: Italy vs. Brazil (Fox app only)
6 p.m.: Puerto Rico vs. Panama (FS1)
7 p.m.: Venezuela vs. Israel (FS1)
8 p.m.: U.S. vs. Great Britain (Fox)
10 p.m.: South Korea vs. Chinese Taipei (FS2)
Sunday, March 8
6 a.m.: Japan vs. Australia (FS1)
Noon: Cuba vs. Colombia (FS2)
Noon: Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands (Fox)
1 p.m.: Italy vs. Great Britain (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Israel vs. Nicaragua (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Canada vs. Panama (FS2)
8 p.m.: Mexico vs. Brazil (FS1)
Monday, March 9
6 a.m.: Australia vs. South Korea (FS1)
Noon: Israel vs. Dominican Republic (FS1)
Noon: Panama vs. Colombia (FS2)
1 p.m.: Great Britain vs. Brazil (Tubi)
7 p.m.: Puerto Rico vs. Cuba (FS1)
7 p.m.: Nicaragua vs. Venezuela (FS2)
8 p.m.: U.S. vs. Mexico (Fox)
Tuesday, March 10
6 a.m.: Japan vs. Czechia (FS1)
7 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Israel (Fox app only)
7 p.m.: Puerto Rico vs. Canada (Tubi)
9 p.m.: U.S. vs. Italy (FS1)
Wednesday, March 11
3 p.m.: Cuba vs. Canada (FS1)
7 p.m.: Mexico vs. Italy (Tubi)
8 p.m.: Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic (FS1)
2026 WBC Schedule for Bracket Play
Note that WBC bracket play is single elimination.
WBC Quarterfinals Schedule (Houston and Miami)
Friday, March 13
6:30 p.m.: Runner-up Pool C vs. Winner Pool D in Miami (FS2)
8 p.m. Runner-up Pool B vs. Winner Pool A in Houston (FOX)
Saturday, March 14
3 p.m.: Runner-up Pool A vs. Winner Pool B in Houston (FS1)
9 p.m.: Runner-up Pool D vs. Winner Pool C in Miami (FOX)
Semifinals (Miami)
Sunday, March 15 (8 p.m.): Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2 (FS1)
Monday, March 16 (8 p.m.): Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4 (FS1)
World Baseball Classic Final (Miami)
Tuesday, March 17 (8 p.m.): Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2
How Does The WBC Pool Play Work in 2026?
For WBC pool play, it is a round-robin tournament, meaning each team plays every other team in its group pool. Each pool has five teams; the top two teams in each pool will compete in the Knockout Stage.
In the event of a tie, multiple tiebreakers could come into play. They will follow these steps until a settlement is reached:
- Head-to-head performance between each team that is tied.
- Rank teams based on the fewest runs allowed divided by the number of defensive outs recorded in the games between the tied teams.
- Rank teams based on the fewest earned runs allowed divided by the total defensive outs recorded in the games between the tied teams.
- Rank the teams according to the highest batting average in games between the tied teams.
- Finally, if the tie still isn’t broken, it will be determined by the drawing of lots conducted by WBCI.
2026 WBC Pools: Favorites to Win Each Pool
Here are the teams in each pool in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, including their payout multipliers to win their group on PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your WBC predictions if you're right.
The current favorites to win their group are Puerto Rico, USA, Japan, and Dominican Republic.
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2026 WBC Pool A: San Juan, Puerto Rico
All games take place at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Here are the participating teams, along with their payouts to win the pool on PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Puerto Rico (No 1.72x / Yes 2x)
- Canada (No 1.26x / Yes 3.33x)
- Colombia (No 1.13x / Yes 4.76x)
- Cuba (No 1.11x / Yes 5.88x)
- Panama (No 1.02x / Yes 11.11x)
2026 WBC Pool B: Houston
All games take place at Daikin Park in Houston. Here are the participating teams, along with their payouts to win the pool on PrizePicks Team Picks.
- USA (No 5.88x / Yes 1.09x)
- Mexico (No 1.08x / Yes 5.88x)
- Italy (Yes 22.22x)
- Brazil (Yes 33.33x)
- Great Britain (Yes 33.33x)
2026 WBC Pool C: Tokyo
All games take place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. Here are the participating teams, along with their payouts to win the pool on PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Japan (No 5.88x / Yes 1.12x)
- South Korea (No 1.09x / Yes 6.25x)
- Chinese Taipei (No 1.02x / Yes 14.28x)
- Australia (Yes 22.22x)
- Czechia (Yes 33.33x)
2026 WBC Pool D: Miami
All games take place at loanDepot Park in Miami, FL. Here are the participating teams, along with their payouts to win the pool on PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Dominican Republic (No 2.7x / Yes 1.42x)
- Venezuela (No 1.35x / Yes 2.94x)
- Nicaragua (Yes 14.28x)
- Netherlands (Yes 22.22x)
- Israel (Yes 33.33x)
2026 World Baseball Classic Favorites, Winners Payouts
Here are all the teams' payouts to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic, via PrizePicks, as well as their result in the 2023 WBC. On Team Picks, you can pick teams to win the 2026 WBC and earn money if you're right — now available in over 34 states, including California and Florida.
Only three countries have ever won the World Baseball Classic in its 20-year history: Japan (three-time winners, 2023, 2009, 2006), USA (2017), and Dominican Republic (2013).
Those three are the favorites to win this year's WBC, with Team USA the clear favorite to win the tournament, sporting a payout less than 2x — suggesting the Americans are favored head-to-head vs. the entire field.
- USA (No 1.96x / Yes 1.85x) – 2023 Result: Lost Championship Game
- Japan (No 1.21x / Yes 4.34x) – 2023 Results Champion
- Dominican Republic (No 1.21x / Yes 4.34x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Venezuela (No 1.04x / Yes 12.5x) – 2023 Result: Lost in Quarterfinals
- Mexico (Yes 22.22x) – Result: Lost in Semifinals
- Puerto Rico (Yes 33.33x) – 2023 Result: Lost in Quarterfinals
- Canada (Yes 33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Colombia (Yes 33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Cuba (Yes 33.33x) – 2023 Result: Lost in Semifinals
- Panama (Y33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Italy (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Lost in Quarterfinals
- Brazil (33.33x) – Did not compete in 2023
- Great Britain (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- South Korea (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Chinese Taipei (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Australia (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Lost in Quarterfinals
- Czechia (33.33x) – Did not compete in 2023
- Nicaragua (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Netherlands (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
- Israel (33.33x) – 2023 Result: Eliminated in pool play
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Make 2026 World Baseball Classic Picks on PrizePicks
The 2026 WBC is an opportunity for the world's best baseball players to represent their country in a tournament. that only comes around every four years. Keep this WBC schedule handy as you lock in for this year's tournament, with USA getting started on Friday night vs. Brazil.
This is also a chance for you get in on the action, including your 2026 WBC winner prediction.
You can make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 34 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued WBC predictions, picks, and news.
