IWBC to host WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2027 in Rockford, USA

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is pleased to announce that the International Women's Baseball Centre (IWBC) in Rockford (IL), USA, has been appointed as the host of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2027.

The six-team tournament, which follows the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026, will take place from July 19 to 25.

The IWBC will also host one of the two Group Stage groups in Rockford from July 22 to 27, 2026. The WBSC will announce the second host soon.

The top two finishers of each Group Stage group, plus two Wild Cards, will advance to the Finals.

"We are thrilled to award the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2027 to Rockford and to continue our partnership with the International Women's Baseball Centre," said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "Rockford has consistently demonstrated an outstanding commitment to women's baseball, and following the Group Stage in 2026, returning for the Finals in 2027 is a testament to the city's world-class facilities, welcoming community, and deep baseball heritage.

"The 10th edition of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup promises to be a milestone celebration of excellence, growth, and opportunity for women and girls in baseball worldwide."

"The IWBC is excited to welcome the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals 2027," said Dr Kat Williams, IWBC CEO. "It is an honour to host the best of women's baseball in Rockford during the summer of 2026 for the Group Stage and in 2027 when the world champions of women's baseball will be crowned here, the Cradle of Women's Baseball."

Located 90 minutes northwest of Chicago, Rockford was the home of the legendary Rockford Peaches in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. It was also home to the Rockford Citys, one of the first professional baseball teams in the late 19th century.

Rivets Stadium, home of the Rockwood Rivets in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer league, will serve as the host venue. It opened in 2006 as the home of the Rockford Riverhawks of the independent Frontier League. The Rivets took over the stadium in the fall of 2015. It has 3,279 seats and can host crowds of over 4,000. The field measures 380 feet (115.8 metres) in centre field and 312 feet (95 metres) at the corners.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026

Nine out of 12 teams have already qualified for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026.

World No. 28 Great Britain became the first team to earn a Group Stage spot when they won the European Championship in August.

WBSC Americas announced that World No. 4 Venezuela, No. 6 Mexico and No. 9 Cuba earned three of the continental four spots through the Women's Baseball Pan American Championship while Canada and Puerto Rico will face off for the fourth and final Americas spot later this year.

No. 1 Japan. No. 5 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 Hong Kong, China, and No. 10 Korea secured the four Asian spots by finishing in the top four at the VI BFA Women's Baseball Asia Cup, hosted by China at the Guali Baseball Field in Hangzhou.

Meanwhile, the WBSC awarded a Wild Card to No. 2 USA, the host of the Group Rockford, while Oceania will also qualify one team.

The WBSC will award a second Wild Card to complete the set of 12 participants.

Japan defeated the USA in the Women's Baseball World Cup World Championship Final 2024 to secure their seventh consecutive Women's Baseball World Title.