Mexico vs Puerto Rico in Game 1 as groups & schedule for WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals in Oklahoma City announced

The World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC) unveiled today the groups and schedule for the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2025, scheduled from 27 September to 1 October at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, USA. 

The teams have been split into two groups for the opening stage of the tournament:

• Group A: Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, USA
• Group B: Czechia, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico

These eight teams advanced to the Finals from the Group Stage, which was completed last year in Brazil, China and USA. Chinese Taipei and Czechia won the tickets in Group A; Japan and China earned their berths in Group B; while Canada and USA did the same in Group C. Mexico and Puerto Rico received a Wild Card as the best-ranked third-place finishers.

After the two-day Opening Round, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Round, scheduled for 29 and 30 September. The World Championship Final, featuring the top two teams from the Super Round standings, will take place on 1 October at 14:00. 

On 27 September, the four teams from Group B will see action at 11:00. Mexico and Puerto Rico, the two teams awarded with a Wild Card, will collide in Game 1 at Venue II, while Japan and Czechia will take the field at Devon Park to play Game 2. 

Group A teams will take the field at 15:30, with the Canada vs Chinese Taipei and China vs USA matchups. After the Opening Ceremony at 18:30, Czechia and Puerto Rico will complete their doubleheader, as will Chinese Taipei and USA, with their games scheduled at 20:00. Another six games on 28 September will complete the Opening Round.

A total of 22 games have been scheduled at Devon Park, the proposed venue for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games softball competition. Last year, the facility hosted the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Group C.

The most prestigious and longest-running international youth women's softball event in the world, this is the 15th edition of the tournament, counting 13 as a U-19 event and one as U-18. First played in 1981, USA (8), Japan (5) and China (1) are the only teams to have won a World Title, with Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, Australia and Canada being the other medallists.

In the most recent edition of the tournament, USA won the title over Chinese Taipei, 1-0, with a walk-off single by MVP Valerie Cagle. Puerto Rico won the bronze medal. The tournament, played in Lima, Peru, in 2021, was still affected by the pandemic.

* October 2 has been reserved as a rain day for the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2025.