Dates confirmed for WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage 2026

The dates and group assignments for the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage 2026 tournaments have been confirmed with Group A to be played in Prague, Czechia; Group B in Lima, Peru and Group C in Oklahoma City, USA - taking place in the June, July and September respectively. 

The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2026/2027 will follow the WBSC’s Two-Stage format, with the Group Stage and the Finals played in consecutive years. A total of 18 teams will participate in the Group Stage, divided into three groups of six teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Finals, scheduled for 2027. 

Group A will open the tournament in Prague, Czechia, from 16 to 20 June 2026. The Czech capital, home to 1.3 million people, returns to the international softball spotlight seven years after co-hosting the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2019 with Havlíčkův Brod.

Group B will be played at the Villa María del Triunfo Softball Stadium in Lima, Peru, from 21 to 26 July 2026, marking exactly two years before the first pitch of the LA28 Olympic softball tournament on 23 July 2028. Lima previously hosted the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup in 2021 and the Pan American Games in 2019. The Peruvian capital is also set to host the Pan Am Games again in 2027.

The Group Stage will conclude in Oklahoma City, USA, where Group C will be played from 17 to 21 September 2026 at OKC Softball Park (Devon Park), the venue of the LA28 Olympic softball competition. Oklahoma City will host the final 19 games of the Group Stage.

In addition to No. 2 USA, No. 11 Czechia, and No. 18 Peru - who qualified as host nations - eight teams have already secured their spots in the World Cup. From the Americas, No. 3 Puerto Rico, No. 4 Canada, No. 7 Mexico, No. 13 Cuba, and No. 14 Venezuela have qualified, while No. 1 Japan, No. 5 Chinese Taipei, and No. 10 China advanced from the Asia qualifier. The 18-team lineup will be completed by three teams from Europe, two from Africa, and two from Oceania.

The host and dates of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2027, as well as the group composition and full game schedules, will be announced at a later stage.

The previous edition of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup was the first held under the Two-Stage format, with the Group Stage hosted by Ireland, Spain, and Italy in 2023 and the Finals played in Castions di Strada, Italy, in 2024. Japan were crowned World Champions after a 6-1 win over USA in the final.

The Women’s Softball World Cup is the sport’s most prestigious international competition. First played in 1965 in Melbourne, Australia, it has been hosted in 13 different countries across four continents. With Czechia and Peru making their debuts as hosts in 2026, that number will rise to 15. In total, 63 countries and territories have participated in the event, with eight of them winning medals.