WBSC celebrates third anniversary of Legacy Club with release of 2025 Report

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has released the 2025 Legacy Club Annual Report, marking the third anniversary of the initiative and highlighting its growing global impact through Baseball5 development programmes in refugee communities.

Launched on 6 April 2023 to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, the WBSC Legacy Club reflects the organisation’s commitment to using sport as a tool to foster inclusion, strengthen communities and create lasting social impact.

The 2025 Legacy Club Annual Report is available in English and Spanish.

The 2025 report showcases significant progress across two flagship projects: the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan and the Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in Kenya, delivered in partnership with key international and local stakeholders.

Azraq: From grassroots development to historic global milestone

In Jordan, the Baseball5 programme at Azraq continued to thrive, with participation expanding to 140 players, including 50 new athletes joining in early 2025. Structured training and player development pathways led to strong competitive performances, including first-place finishes in the U-11 and U-17 categories at the Ramadan Baseball5 Tournament organised by the Jordan Baseball and Softball Federation.

Beyond competition, the programme emphasised personal development and community engagement. Players participated in the Hope and Dreams Sports Festival, while education and empowerment remained central pillars, highlighted by athlete participation in World Refugee Day activities.

A major milestone came in September, when 11 players attended an international training camp in Mexico, supported by Olympic Solidarity, the Syrian Olympic Committee and CONADE. Eight of those athletes went on to represent Syria at the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup in Tepic, marking the first time in WBSC history that a refugee team competed at a World Cup.

The Azraq programme also continued to grow its local footprint, including a Baseball5 showcase at Jerash University, further raising awareness of the sport and its social impact.

Kenya: Building foundations for sustainable growth

In Kenya, the WBSC–AHEEN project in Kakuma and Kalobeyei continued to develop steadily, laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Early efforts focused on community engagement, with facilitators working closely with families to support participation and retention.

Athletes took part in local tournaments, friendly competitions and elite training camps, while also benefiting from complementary education initiatives. These included English-language programmes delivered in collaboration with Durham University and anti-doping education, reinforcing the WBSC’s holistic approach to athlete development.

The programme also emphasised sustainability and community ownership. Activities such as a tree-planting initiative—leading to the creation of a future “Baseball5 Forest”—highlight the project’s broader social and environmental vision.

In August, the WBSC and AHEEN renewed their partnership, securing the continuation of the initiative through to December 2026.

A growing global legacy through sport

Since its launch, the WBSC Legacy Club has demonstrated how Baseball5 can serve as a powerful, accessible tool to create opportunities for young people in challenging environments. From Jordan to Kenya, the initiative continues to expand its reach, combining sport, education and social development to deliver meaningful impact.

The Legacy Club is guided by WBSC’s core values—Team Spirit and Friendship, Integrity and Respect, Tradition and Innovation, Diversity and Unity, and Excellence and Fun—ensuring that its programmes extend beyond competition to enrich lives and empower future generations.

The Azraq Refugee Camp remains a flagship example of this vision in action, developed through collaboration between the WBSC, World Taekwondo, the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation and UNHCR. Since its inception, the programme has engaged more than 100 boys and girls, providing not only access to sport but also a pathway to international participation.

With its expansion into Africa in 2024, the WBSC Legacy Club continues to strengthen its role as a global platform for inclusion and development, using Baseball5 to bridge sport, education and community-building.

The 2025 Legacy Club Annual Report is available in English and Spanish.