2026 World Baseball Classic: What Time is Team USA's Opening Game Tonight?

The 2026 World Baseball Classic got underway Thursday and continues today, with eight games around the globe. Team USA will begin its quest for a world championship tonight.

The Americans, who are -110 favorites to win the WBC for the second time ever, commence Pool B play Friday against Brazil.

How to watch Team USA vs. Brazil

Team USA, which looked dominant in its two-game exhibition slate against the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, will face Brazil at 8 p.m. ET tonight from Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, home of the Houston Astros.

FOX will televise the game nationally, with the network's top broadcasting teams scheduled to call all four Team USA Pool B games.

What is Team USA's pool play schedule?

• Fri., March 6: USA vs. Brazil, 8 p.m., FOX
• Sat., March 7: USA vs. Great Britain, 8 p.m., FOX
• Mon., March 9: Mexico vs. USA, 8 p.m., FOX
• Tue., March 10: Italy vs. USA, 9 p.m., FS1

All games will be played at Daikin Park. Quarterfinals will be held March 13-14, also at Daikin Park, with the semifinals (March 15-16) and final (March 17) all set for Miami's LoanDepot Park.

What to know about Team USA?

Simply put, the Americans are loaded. Team USA's roster includes a combined 26 All-Star selections and five MVP Awards, plus the back-to-back winners of the last two AL and NL Cy Young Awards, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes.

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge leads the way, and the three-time AL MVP was one of five players to homer in Wednesday's 14-4 win over the Rockies. But Judge is far from alone; Team USA's 'A' lineup includes Seattle Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh, Philadelphia Phillies sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, Kansas City Royals dynamo Bobby Witt Jr., Minnesota Twins All-Star Byron Buxton and Chicago Cubs standout Alex Bregman.

Mix in young talent like Roman Anthony (Boston Red Sox), Brice Turang (Milwaukee Brewers), Gunnar Henderson (Baltimore Orioles) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs) and manager Mark DeRosa has an embarrassment of hitting riches at his disposal.

On the pitching side, Skenes and Skubal are the big names, though the latter is scheduled for only one abbreviated start on Saturday. The reliable Logan Webb and young gun Nolan McLean provide depth, as does Twins star Joe Ryan, who won't be available to the knockout round.

The Americans also have a robust bullpen, led by fireballing Mason Miller, who is supported by David Bednar, Clay Holmes and others.

Team USA, which won the WBC in 2017, is looking to avenge a loss to Japan in the championship game three years ago.