Full World Baseball Classic schedule and when every game will be played

Just as spring training hits its stride, the World Baseball Classic returns to shake up MLB's preseason.

Baseball's biggest international tournament returns for the first time in three years. Japan will look to defend its title from 2023, while Team USA will be trying to avenge its loss in last year's final.

Other top contenders in the field of 20 teams includes the Dominican Republic, which last won a WBC title in 2013, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

The action begins with a pool play round-robin portion that gets underway Wednesday, March 4. Taiwan will play Australian in Tokyo at 10 p.m. ET to kick off the tournament.

Team USA's first game is two days later. The Americans will play Brazil in Houston at 8 p.m. ET on March 6 for their first matchup of this year's World Baseball Classic.

Once pool play begins, each five-team group will duke it out for a week, and the top two teams in each pool by the end of the round-robin stage move on to the quarterfinals. The knockout round will last a little less than one week with the WBC final closing out the tournament on March 17 in Miami.

Here's a look at the full, game-by-game schedule for this year's WBC:

World Baseball Classic 2026 schedule

(All times Eastern)

Wednesday, March 4

• 10 PM: Taiwan vs. Australia (Tokyo)

Thursday, March 5

• 5 AM: Czechia vs. South Korea (Tokyo)
• 10 PM: Australia vs. Czechia (Tokyo)

Friday, March 6

• 5 AM: Japan vs. Taiwan (Tokyo)
• 11 AM: Cuba vs. Panama (San Juan)
• 12 PM: Netherlands vs. Venezuela (Miami)
• 1 PM: Mexico vs. Great Britain (Houston)
• 6 PM: Puerto Rico vs. Colombia (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic (Miami)
• 8 PM: USA vs. Brazil (Houston)
• 10 PM: Taiwan vs. Czechia (Tokyo)

Saturday, March 7

• 5 AM: South Korea vs. Japan (Tokyo)
• 11 AM: Colombia vs. Canada (San Juan)
• 12 PM: Nicaragua vs. Netherlands (Miami)
• 1 PM: Brazil vs. Italy (Houston)
• 6 PM: Panama vs. Puerto Rico (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Israel vs. Venezuela (Miami)
• 8 PM: Great Britain vs. USA (Houston)
• 10 PM: Taiwan vs. South Korea (Tokyo)

Sunday, March 8

• 6 AM: Australia vs. Japan (Tokyo)
• 12 PM: Colombia vs. Cuba (San Juan)
• 12 PM: Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic (Miami)
• 1 PM: Great Britain vs. Italy (Houston)
• 7 PM: Panama vs. Canada (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Nicaragua vs. Israel (Miami)
• 8 PM: Brazil vs. Mexico (Houston)

Monday, March 9

• 6 AM: South Korea vs. Australia (Tokyo)
• 12 PM: Dominican Republic vs. Israel (Miami)
• 12 PM: Colombia vs. Panama (San Juan)
• 1 PM: Brazil vs. Great Britain (Houston)
• 7 PM: Cuba vs. Puerto Rico (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Venezuela vs. Nicaragua (Miami)
• 8 PM: Mexico vs. USA (Houston)

Tuesday, March 10

• 6 AM: Czechia vs. Japan (Tokyo)
• 7 PM: Canada vs. Puerto Rico (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Israel vs. Netherlands (Miami)
• 9 PM: Italy vs. USA (Houston)

Wednesday, March 11

• 3 PM: Canada vs. Cuba (San Juan)
• 7 PM: Italy vs. Mexico (Houston)
• 8 PM: Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela (Miami)

Quarterfinals (Houston and Miami)

Friday, March 13

• 6:30 PM (FS2): Runner-up Pool C vs. Winner Pool D — Miami
• 8 PM (FOX): Runner-up Pool B vs. Winner Pool A — Houston

Saturday, March 14

• 3 PM (FS1): Runner-up Pool A vs. Winner Pool B — Houston
• 9 PM (FOX): Runner-up Pool D vs. Winner Pool C — Miami

Semifinals (Miami)

• Sunday, March 15 (8 PM): Winner QF1 vs. Winner QF2
• Monday, March 16 (8 PM): Winner QF3 vs. Winner QF4

World Baseball Classic Final (Miami)

• Tuesday, March 17 (8 PM): Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2