2026 World Baseball Classic: Schedule, Preview, and How to Watch with Sling
The World Baseball Classic is back. Here’s a look at the Pools, the full schedule, and how to watch with Sling.
Forget the World Series; the World Baseball Classic is the World’s Series.
Slated for Wednesday, March 4 through Tuesday, March 17, the World Baseball Classic brings together players from all across the globe for a tournament that showcases the global appeal of America’s pastime. Here’s a preview of the event and how to watch it with Sling.
To subscribe to Sling Select with FS1 and FOX in designated markets, use the link below!
How to Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic with Sling
https://youtu.be/Mo94FzFUOJM?si=5BjpFCRhzVYuvBQ2
FOX Sports will broadcast the 2026 World Baseball Classic on FOX, FS1, FS2, Tubi, and the FOX One app. While games on Tubi will be available for free online, you’ll need a subscription to watch the other games. To watch the most games with Sling, subscribe to Sling Blue + Sports Extras with FS1 and FS2, as well as FOX in the markets listed below.
You can also subscribe to Sling Select to watch games on FS1 and FOX in the markets listed above. If you don’t live in one of those markets, you can still watch games airing on FOX by downloading the FOX One app and signing in using your Sling credentials.
Full 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool Play Schedule
The World Baseball Classic is formatted similarly to other global sports tournaments like the FIFA World Cup: Round Robin Pool play – in this case, four Pools consisting of five teams – followed by single-elimination knock-out rounds. The Pools are as follows:
Pool A (Pool Play in San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Canada
Columbia
Cuba
Panama
Puerto Rico
Pool B (Pool Play in Houston, TX)
Brazil
Great Britain
Italy
Mexico
USA
Pool C (Pool Play in Tokyo, Japan)
Australia
Chinese Taipei
Czechia
Japan
Korea
Pool D (Pool Play in Miami, FL)
Dominican Republic
Israel
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Venezuela
2026 World Baseball Classic Knockout Rounds Schedule
The top two teams from each Pool will advance to the Quarterfinal, with the winning teams then advancing to the Semifinal games in Miami, and then the Final in Miami on March 17. Here’s the schedule for the knockout rounds.
How Often is the World Baseball Classic Played?
The WBC is scheduled to be played every four years. However, the pandemic forced the 2021 WBC to be pushed to 2023. Because of what would have been a shortened two-year gap between the 2023 WBC and the previously scheduled 2025 event, it was delayed another year to 2026. Beginning in 2029, the WBC will resume its quadrennial schedule, with the next tournament scheduled for 2033.
What are the Odds for the 2026 World Baseball Classic?
Since the first World Baseball Classic in 2006, only three teams have won the event: Japan (2006, 2009, and 2023), the Dominican Republic (2013), and the United States (2017). This year, the U.S., with -110 odds, is a heavy favorite to win, according to DraftKings. They’re followed by Japan (+330), the Dominican Republic (+450), and Venezuela (+900). At +40000 odds, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, and Brazil have the longest odds to win the tournament.
To watch the most WBC games with Sling, use the link below to subscribe to Sling Blue with Sports Extras!