WBSC Africa announces dates, venues of Baseball, Softball & Baseball5 World Cup Qualifiers
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<p>WBSC Africa announced the dates of the qualification tournaments for the <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/wbsc-events/u-15-baseball-world-cup"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup</span></strong></a>, <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/wbsc-events/u-23-baseball-world-cup"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup</span></strong></a>, WBSC Men's Softball World Cup and WBSC Baseball5 World Cup due to be held in 2024.</p>
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<h3><strong>Baseball World Cup Qualifiers</strong></h3>
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<p>Johannesburg (South Africa) will play host to the U-15 Baseball World Cup qualifiers from 11 to 14 January. </p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-vi-u15-baseball-world-cup/home"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">VI WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup</span></strong></a> is scheduled to take place later in 2024. Dates and venues will be announced soon. The winner of the tournament in Johannesburg will be sixth qualified National Team.</p>
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<p>Africa (<strong>1</strong>)<br>Americas (<strong>5</strong>) Qualification tournament to take place in <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/the-dominican-republic-to-host-wbsc-americas-u-15-baseball-world-cup-qualifier" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">February 2024, in the Dominican Republic</span></strong></a><br>Asia (<strong>2</strong>) <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/chinese-taipei-claim-u-15-asian-baseball-championship-qualify-for-world-cup-2024-along-with-runners-up-japan" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 5 Chinese Taipei, No. 1 Japan</span></strong></a><br>Europe (<strong>2</strong>) <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/netherlands-win-u-15-baseball-european-championship-and-qualify-along-with-runner-up-italy-for-wbsc-u-15-baseball-world-cup-2024" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 7 Netherlands, No. 14 Italy</span></strong></a> <br>Oceania (<strong>1</strong>) <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="No. 34 Guam (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/guam-confirmed-as-oceania-u-15-champions-qualify-for-vi-wbsc-u-15-baseball-world-cup" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 34 Guam</span></a></strong><br>Wild Card (<strong>1</strong>)</p>
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<p>The <strong><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/wbsc-u-15-baseball-world-championship-final-underway-live-updates" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="United States (opens in a new tab)"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">United States</span></a></strong> are the defending U-15 World Champions.</p>
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<p>The International Baseball Federation held <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/wbsc-events/u-15-baseball-world-cup/historic-results" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">13 World Youth Baseball Championship</span></a></strong> editions for the U-16 age bracket from 1989 to 2011.</p>
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<p>Johannesburg will host the U-23 Baseball World Cup qualifier from 21 to 27 February. The winner will complete the set of 12 participating National Teams, which will participate in the V <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-v-u-23-baseball-world-cup/home"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WBSC U-23 Baseball Cup</span></strong></a>, which will be held in Shaoxing Baseball & Softball Sports Culture Center from 6 to 15 September next year.</p>
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<p>Africa (1): <br>Asia (3): <strong><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/japan-defeat-chinese-taipei-to-win-asian-baseball-championship-both-qualify-with-korea-for-wbsc-u-23-baseball-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="No. 1 Japan, No. 4 Korea, No. 5 Chinese Taipei (opens in a new tab)"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 1 Japan, No. 4 Korea, No. 5 Chinese Taipei</span></a></strong><br>Americas (4): <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/colombia-nicaragua-puerto-rico-and-venezuela-qualify-for-wbsc-u-23-baseball-world-cup-2024" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 6 Venezuela, No. 12 Puerto Rico, No. 13 Colombia, No. 20 Nicaragua</span></strong></a><br>Europe (2): <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/netherlands-confirmed-as-u-23-baseball-european-champions-qualify-with-runner-up-great-britain-for-wbsc-u-23-baseball-world-cup-2024" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 7 Netherlands and No. 18 Great Britain</span></strong></a><br>Oceania (1): <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/australia-sweep-guam-qualify-for-wbsc-u-23-baseball-world-cup" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 11 Australia</span></strong></a><br>Wild Card (1): <strong>No. 24 China</strong></p>
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<p>World No. 1 <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-iv-u-23-baseball-world-cup/news/iv-u-23-baseball-world-cup-world-championship-final" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Japan</span></a></strong> are the defending U-23 World Champions.</p>
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<p>The South African Baseball Union (SABU) will host and organize the U-15 and U-23 Baseball World Cup Qualifiers.</p>
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<h3><strong>Softball World Cup Qualifiers</strong></h3>
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<p>Makapane, Mpumalanga Region, near the world-famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, will host the Men's Softball World Cup Qualifier from 26 February to 3 March.</p>
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<p>The <strong><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/wbsc-events/mens-softball-world-cup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="XVIII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup (opens in a new tab)"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">XVIII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup</span></a></strong> will be the first edition to be played under the Two-Stage format, a new format with the Group Stage and the Finals hosted in consecutive years. An expanded number of 18 teams will participate across three groups in the Group Stage, with the top two from each group plus two wild cards advancing to the Finals. </p>
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<p>Prince Albert, Canada, will host <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="one group and the finals (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-xviii-mens-softball-world-cup-group-stage/news/prince-albert-canada-to-host-wbsc-mens-softball-world-cup-group-finals" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">one group and the Finals</span></a></strong>. Oklahoma City, USA, will host <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="another group (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/wbsc-mens-softball-world-cup-group-awarded-to-oklahoma-city-usa" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">another group</span></a></strong>. The third group host city will be announced at a later stage.</p>
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<p>The XVIII WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup now has 12 qualified teams. As hosts, world No. 4 Canada and No. 5 USA have been granted a spot in the Group Stage. In addition, No. 6 Czechia, No. 11 Denmark and No. 16 Netherlands qualified through the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-xviii-mens-softball-world-cup-group-stage/news/mens-softball-european-championship-2023-czechia-denmark-and-netherlands-qualify-for-wbsc-mens-softball-world-cup" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">European Championship</span></strong></a>, while No. 3 Japan, No. 12 Singapore and No. 15 Philippines advanced from the <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-xviii-mens-softball-world-cup-group-stage/news/japan-claim-mens-softball-asian-title-advance-to-world-cup-along-with-singapore-philippines" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Asian Qualifier</span></a></strong>. Meanwhile, defending champions and world No. 2 Australia and No. 7 New Zealand qualified via the <strong><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-xviii-mens-softball-world-cup-group-stage/news/australia-and-new-zealand-qualify-for-mens-softball-world-cup-group-stage"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Oceania Qualifier</span></a></strong>. </p>
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<p><strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Australia (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/australia-claim-second-world-cup-title-beating-four-time-winners-canada-usa-claim-bronze" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Australia</span></a></strong> are the defending Men's Softball World Champions.</p>
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<h3><strong>Baseball5 World Cup Qualifiers</strong></h3>
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<p>Adding a unique and dynamic flavour to the Africa season calendar, the Baseball5 World Cup qualifiers are set to take place in Praia, Cape Verde from 5 to 10 February. The top two finishers will become the third and fourth National Teams qualified for the <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="II WBSC Baseball5 World Cup (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-II-baseball5-world-cup/home" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">II WBSC Baseball5 World Cup</span></a></strong>, to be played in Hong Kong in late 2024.</p>
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<p>Africa (2)<br>Americas (3)<br>Asia (3)<br>Europe (2) <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="No. 2 France, No. 10 Lithuania (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/france-and-lithuania-became-first-teams-qualified-for-wbsc-baseball5-world-cup-2024" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">No. 2 France, No. 10 Lithuania</span></a></strong><br>Oceania (1)<br>Wild Card (1) </p>
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<p><strong><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/cuba-crowned-first-ever-wbsc-baseball5-world-champions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cuba (opens in a new tab)"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cuba</span></a></strong> is the Baseball5 defending World Champion.</p>
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<p>The Cape Verde Baseball Softball Federation became a WBSC Full Member in <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Decembre 2020 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/wbsc-welcomes-cape-verde-baseball-softball-federation-italian-association-of-baseball-for-the-blind-as-newest-members" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">December 2020</span></a></strong>. The National Olympic Committee announced its support for Baseball5 development in <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="April 2022 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/baseball5-in-africa-cape-verde-olympic-committee-latest-to-come-on-board" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">April 2022</span></a></strong>.</p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><strong>"A Festival of Sportmanship"</strong></p></blockquote>
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<p>"The 2024 WBSC Africa World Cup qualifiers promise a festival of sportsmanship, skill, and excitement," WBSC Africa said in a press release. "With diverse events spanning different age groups and playing formats, the qualifiers are set to elevate the profile of baseball and softball in Africa, reflecting the continent's growing influence on the global stage. As fans eagerly await the kick-off, one thing is certain – the road to the World Cup is paved with passion, determination, and the unbridled spirit of competition."</p>
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