Twelve teams descend on Viera, Florida, for the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup, with the United States and Canada among the top contenders trying to wrest away championship control from top-seeded Japan.

Japan enters the tournament as the No. 1 team in the world, after winning the last five World Cups (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016). Canada, who was runner-up to Japan in 2014, is the No. 2 seed this year, with the U.S. right behind, ranked third. The United States has medaled in all seven previous World Cups, beating Japan to win the gold in both 2004 and 2006.

This is the first time the U.S. has hosted the Women’s Baseball World Cup, with all the games held at USSSA Sports Complex in Florida, former spring training home to MLB’s Marlins, Expos, and Nationals.

Games start Wednesday, Aug. 22, with the championship game set for Friday, Aug. 31.

Format

The teams are split into groups of six, and in the first round each team will play every other team in their group. The top three teams from each group advance to the Super Round, with teams from each group playing the other three teams in the other group.

The four teams that advance to the Final Round will be determined by their record from the entire tournament against the other five teams in the Super Round.

In the Final Round, the top two teams will play for the gold medal, while the third and fourth teams play for the bronze.

Teams

Group A: United States, Venezuela, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Netherlands, Puerto Rico

Group B: Japan, Canada, Australia, Cuba, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic

Rankings:

Schedule

Every game of the 2018 Women’s Baseball World Cup will be streamed online by USSSA.

All times ET

First round

Wednesday, Aug. 22
Japan def. Dominican Republic, 8-0
Chinese Taipei def. Venezuela, 9-1
Canada def. Hong Kong, 4-0
South Korea def. Netherlands, 9-8
United States def. Puerto Rico, 14-0
Australia def. Cuba, 12-4

Thursday, Aug. 23
Japan def. Hong Kong, 23-0
Venezuela def. South Korea, 10-4
Dominican Republic vs. Australia, 2 p.m.
Canada vs. Cuba, 2 p.m.
Netherlands vs. United States, 6 p.m.
Chinese Taipei vs. Puerto Rico, 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 24
Dominican Republic vs. Cuba, 10 a.m.
Australia vs. Hong Kong, 10 a.m.
Chinese Taipei vs. Netherlands, 2 p.m.
Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela, 2 p.m.
United States vs. South Korea, 6 p.m.
Japan vs. Canada, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 25
Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea, 10 a.m.
Puerto Rico vs. Netherlands, 10 a.m.
Venezuela vs. United States, 2 p.m.
Hong Kong vs. Dominican Republic, 2 p.m.
Cuba vs. Japan, 6 p.m.
Australia vs. Canada, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 26
Venezuela vs. Netherlands, 10 a.m.
South Korea vs. Puerto Rico, 10 a.m.
Canada vs. Dominican Republic, 2 p.m.
Cuba vs. Hong Kong, 2 p.m.
United States vs. Chinese Taipei, 6 p.m.
Japan vs. Australia, 6 p.m.

Super Round

Tuesday, Aug. 28
B2 vs. A3
B1 vs. A2
A1 vs. B3

Wednesday, Aug. 29
A3 vs. B3
A2 vs. B2
A1 vs. B1

Thursday, Aug. 30
B1 vs. A3
A2 vs. B3
A1 vs. B2

Final Round

Friday, Aug. 31

Bronze Medal Game, 1 p.m.

Gold Medal Game, 6 p.m.