New Zealand to host Australia in U-23 Men's Softball World Cup Qualifier & U-18 friendly series
World No. 8 New Zealand and No. 2 Australia will face off in an action-packed weekend, when the U-23 Men's National Softball Teams collide in the World Cup Oceania Qualifiers, and the U-18 National Teams face off in a five-game series. Action on Field 1 will be live streamed here.
A total of 10 games will be played at Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North, which hosted the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in 2020. Four games are scheduled on Friday and Saturday, with the final two contests on Sunday. You can see the schedule of the U-23 tournament here. Full series schedule here.
Australia are the defending World Champions in the U-23 category, after winning the inaugural edition of the World Cup in Parana, Argentina, in 2023. New Zealand finished sixth in this event.
Head Coach Steven Deans returns to lead the New Zealand U-23 National Team for another stint. “For a lot of them, their focus is to give themselves the best opportunity to be selected for the team. This weekend is a big opportunity for those guys to put their best foot forward,” he said to The Post. “They’re already really good at what they do. It’s making those little improvements to make them better ball players.”
Scott Sunley will be at the helm of the Australian U-23 Team. "As the reigning U-23 World Champions, our approach to this qualifiers is no different than what we did in Argentina. Give 100% at all times, and we keep our confidence up and our determination," he said. "International competition is very important for these players I believe these experiences can help the players build the skills to stay calm in big moments and big plays of the game. It could be the difference between winning and losing."
The II WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup will take place in 2026. Host and exact dates will be announced at a later stage.