2025 Year in Focus
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) closed 2025 with a clear message of confidence and momentum, as President Riccardo Fraccari underlined the federation’s continued ability to grow and record historic achievements that "demonstrate the strength of our global Baseball/Softball family".
In his End of Year message, President Fraccari said: "I reflect with great pride on another remarkable year for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and the international Baseball/Softball community".
He had previously set the tone in his opening address at the VI WBSC Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, reflecting on a period of sustained progress since the federation’s last in-person Congress in 2022.
“The WBSC is on an important trajectory as we continue to innovate, adapt and inspire in our mission to grow Baseball, Softball and Baseball5 globally,” Fraccari said. “Since our last in-person Congress, both our world and our sport have continued to evolve. We have faced challenges, but we have also achieved so much.”
Ten events across a 10-month season
The WBSC’s 2025 international season ran from April to November, opening with the Baseball Champions League Americas and concluding with the WBSC eBaseball™ Series World Finals. Over the course of the year, the federation successfully delivered 10 international events, with five World Titles awarded across baseball and softball.
Those included the Men’s Softball World Cup Finals, the U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals, the U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup, and the U-12 and U-18 Baseball World Cups, underlining the breadth and balance of the WBSC’s global competition calendar.
Growth was also reflected in participation. American Samoa and Syria both made their World Cup debuts in 2025, at the U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup and the Youth Baseball5 World Cup respectively. Their inclusion brought the total number of WBSC member federations competing at the World Cup level to 81.
Across all disciplines, the WBSC’s five world rankings feature a record 111 countries from all five Olympic continents, marking another significant milestone in the federation’s global development.
That progress was recognised by IOC Honorary President Thomas Bach when he accepted the WBSC Collar of Honour at the Congress.
“I have been accompanying the development of your Federation from the very beginning in 2014,” Bach said. “I still have very good memories of those not always easy days. To see how your Federation has been flourishing under the leadership of Riccardo Fraccari over the last couple of years is an amazing success story of which all of you can be very proud.”
Read More: Year in Review Series
WBSC events showcase emerging talent
The WBSC competitions once again proved to be a launchpad for the next generation of elite talent. WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup MVP Coleman Borthwick capped an outstanding year by becoming the first player in USA Baseball history to receive both the Richard W. Dick Case Player of the Year Award and the Performance of the Year Award, a rare double honour that highlighted his impact at international level.
That pathway from WBSC events to the professional game was equally evident in Japan, where U-18 Baseball World Cup standout Genki Ishigaki was selected in the first round of the 2025 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft by the Chiba Lotte Marines after impressing with his power pitching.
Korea’s strong performance at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup was reflected directly in the KBO Draft, where the first four selections all came from the national team that finished fourth at the tournament. The Kiwoom Heroes selected right-hander Junhyun Park with the first pick, followed by the NC Dinos choosing infielder Jaein Shin from Yushin High School.
Jaewon Oh, Korea’s starting centre fielder and also from Yushin High School, was taken third overall by the Hanwha Eagles, while the Lotte Giants completed the quartet by selecting Dongsan High School right-hander Dongkun Shin with the fourth pick.
A unique sport's environment
Few developments captured attention in the same way as the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup. The participation of the Azraq Refugee Team, formed through the WBSC Legacy Club’s Refugee Project and representing Syria at the Youth Baseball5 World Cup 2025, brought a powerful human dimension to the five-on-five discipline and highlighted its potential as a tool for inclusion.
“The Azraq Refugee Team inspired everyone watching, a true reminder of the unity and hope sport can create,” President Fraccari said.
Innovation was also a defining theme in the digital space. The WBSC eBaseball™ Series continued to expand its reach, with Global Qualifier champion POME overcoming every challenge to claim the WBSC eBaseball™ Series 2025 World Finals Presented by Visit Raleigh. The victory made POME the second eBaseball™ world champion, following SHORA’s back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.
Engaging younger audiences remains a strategic priority for the WBSC, with President Fraccari reaffirming that eSports will continue to play an important role in the federation’s long-term vision.
What's Next
Looking ahead, baseball and softball are confirmed on the programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, while the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games remain a key target.
To support this long-term pathway, the WBSC has established a dedicated Working Group, while Australia is set to play a central role on the global calendar as host of the Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2027 in Brisbane. President Fraccari praised the country’s strong willingness to support and invest in Baseball/Softball.
The WBSC’s flagship Premier12 tournament will also return in 2027 with a new 16-team format. The expanded competition will include a qualifying phase involving eight teams in 2026, adding further momentum to an already robust international programme as the federation continues to build towards the next Olympic cycle.