Can we avenge the humiliation of the 2023 tournament.
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) organizing committee unveiled the tournament organization for the 2026 tournament on the 22nd (Korea Standard Time).
Korea was drawn in Group C along with Japan, Australia, the Czech Republic, and other qualifying countries. The group stage will be held from Mar. 5-10, 2026, at Tokyo Dome in Japan.
It is similar to the group formation that faced the humiliation of being eliminated from the group round in 2023. China was included in the 2023 tournament, but it was excluded this time.
The schedule for the group rounds is relatively sufficient. The team will play its first match on Saturday against the Czech Republic. It will take a day off on Sunday and play a match between Korea and Japan on Sunday. The team will meet the teams that passed the preliminary round on Sunday and Australia on Sunday to wrap up its group round schedule.
South Korea lost 7-8 to Australia in its first match of the 2023 tournament, putting a dark cloud over its group stage passing, and suffered a crushing 4-13 defeat the next day at the Korea-Japan match. Afterwards, the team won 7-3 against the Czech Republic and 22-2 against China, but was eliminated from the group stage with two wins and two losses. South Korea has faced the humiliation of being eliminated from the group stage for the third consecutive tournament, following the 2013 and 2017 tournaments after finishing second in the 2009 tournament. 안전놀이터
The WBC website said, “Korea, which has failed to advance to the group stage since 2009, finished the 2023 event disappointingly. San Diego Padres shortstop Kim Ha-sung hit three home runs and San Francisco outfielder Lee Jung-hoo had six hits and five RBIs in 14 at-bats, but lost to Japan and Australia when the bullpen collapsed. He will try to return to the medal race in 2026.”
Meanwhile, Group A will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and qualifying teams. Group B will be joined by the United States, Mexico, Italy, the United Kingdom, and qualifying teams. It will be held at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. Group D will be joined by Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel, and qualifying teams and will face off at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida.
The top two teams that passed the group stage will then play a single game. Group C, which includes Korea, will play against Group D in the quarterfinals. It will be held in Miami. After that, both the semifinals and the final will be held at Rondipo Park in Miami.
Meanwhile, the WBC qualifying round, which will involve eight teams, will be held between February and March 2025 and the schedule will be confirmed and announced later.
