WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Finals press conference: Head coaches, teams ready for battle as world's best are ready to open tournament on Tuesday

The head coaches of the eight participating teams in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals gathered today at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Canada, ahead of Tuesday’s Opening Day. All teams expressed their readiness to face top-level competition in the most prestigious event in men’s international softball.

WBSC Executive Vice President Craig Cress highlighted the elite level of play expected over the next six days: "These eight teams have earned the right to contend in the Finals after a very competitive Group Stage last year. After 57 exciting games in 2024, now we are closing the event with the best teams aiming to conquer the World Title," he said

Ian Litzenberger, Chair of the Local Organising Committee, reflected on the long journey to this historic event: “As mentioned, we started this back in 2014 with the goal of hosting a Senior Men’s World Cup—and here we are, just hours from the first pitch. On behalf of the Local Organising Committee, thank you for trusting us. Enjoy your time in our community.”

Canada head coach John Stuart said his team is building on the success of last year, with a strong balance of veterans and newcomers: “We fully expect to exceed any expectations. We have a good mix of experienced and young players. We’re here to compete at the highest level, play with class and integrity, and hopefully make it to the medal round. Ultimately, the goal is to win the World Championship,” he stated.

Defending world champions Australia enter the Finals with new head coach Mike Titheradge, who aims to lead the Steelers to their first-ever back-to-back world titles: “We have a rich history and deep respect for the game. It’s exciting to face the top eight nations in the world, and we’re ready to deliver a performance that reflects that level.”

World No. 1 Argentina also has high aspirations: “It’s an honour to be here. We are proud to represent our country and to compete with the best coaches and athletes. We will give 100% in every game and aim to win the World Cup,” said head coach Jose Guerrinieri.

The Dominican Republic head coach German Taveras kept it simple: "We are here to play as a team. That's it. Best of luck to all the teams."

Japan's head coach Shinji Iguchi remarked the unity of his team. "I'm looking forward to competing in this tournament and playing against these great teams. Let's all do our best in this tournament. We have a special team and we're looking forward to coming here."

Seven-time world champions New Zealand, looking to return to the podium after two medal-less World Cups, have placed a strong emphasis on family and long-term preparation. Coach Stephen Deans said: "We've been building our camp around the last two years to this moment. From the key focus of our team and this connection with the families, we've got three sets of brothers in our team, which flows on to the rest of the main group. Our expectation, like everyone else's, is to perform for these families. Hopefully, it puts us up in the final game."

USA head coach Ron Hackett laid out the team’s ultimate objective: "I don't think our expectations are any different than the other seven teams sitting here. Everyone here is very strong at every aspect of the game and that's why we're here. At the end of the day, our expectation is to peak and our expectation is to win a gold medal," he said. "Looking forward to a strong week and having a lot of fun."

Finally, Venezuela head coach Delio López said the team is determined to prove they belong among the world’s elite:"We want to show the world that our last performances at the World Cups are not a product of luck, but a work that the federation has been doing together with its coaches. It has given us a lot of opportunities to be among the top three at the World Cup. And we are here to demonstrate that our team can be in the top five, top three, as we did in the past," he said. "Our main strength is probably our pitching staff. We have some experienced pitchers that have been playing in the international level, not only at national teams, but also at the club's teams for many, many years. We have also some newcomers that we think is a good combination to take us in the top five or top three again in this tournament."