WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals: Shaping future Olympians and stars of the game
The WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup (formerly the Junior Women’s Softball World Championship) is the oldest and most prestigious youth international women’s softball tournament in the world. With 44 years of history, it has showcased the sport’s biggest stars in the early stages of their careers, many of whom have gone on to shine at the Olympic Games.
From 27 September to 1 October 2025, the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals will be staged at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, USA, where the top eight teams in the world will compete for the title of World Champion.
Historically, the youth global tournament has served as a launchpad for international careers, making this upcoming edition in Oklahoma especially significant. With softball’s Olympic return at the LA28 Games, some of the young athletes competing this September in Oklahoma could be back three years later - this time under the five Olympic Rings.
The pathway from the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup to elite international softball is stronger than ever. At The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, 75 players (62.5% of all participants) had previously competed in a Junior/U-18 World Cup, an 11% increase compared to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (where 46 of 90 players had U-18 experience).
The World Games featured athletes from the last eight editions of the Junior/U-18 World Cup (2007–2024). Additionally, Japanese legend Yukiko Ueno - who pitched at the 1999 Junior Women’s World Championship in Taipei - added a ninth edition to the list. In total, players from nine of the 15 editions of the youth event were represented in Chengdu.
Every one of the eight national teams in The World Games included athletes with U-18 World Cup experience. Chinese Taipei, silver medallists in Chengdu, led the way with 12 of 15 players (80%) coming from the youth event. Gold medallists USA had the lowest percentage, with six of 15 (40%).
Among the 75 players, 11 competed in two U-18 editions, including stars like Siyu Yan (CHN), Emma Entzminger (CAN), Aleshia Ocasio (PUR), Odalys Cordova (PUR), Georgia Hood (AUS), Grace Messmer (CAN), Yinan Chai (CHN), Xiaomin Lu (CHN), Macey Cintron (PUR), Tatianna Roman (PUR), and Ching-Yu Chen (TPE).
The WBSC U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019 in Irvine, California produced the most alumni at The World Games with 23 players, followed by Clearwater 2017 (18), Brampton 2013 (12), Lima 2021 (11), Oklahoma City 2015 (9), Cape Town 2011 (7), the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage 2024 in São Paulo/Pingtan/Dallas (3), Enschede 2007 (2), and Taipei 1999 (1).
Pitching talent also traced back to the youth level. Of the 31 pitchers who threw at least one pitch in Chengdu, 18 (58%) were WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup alumni. The list includes global superstars such as Ueno, Miu Goto, Ally Carda, Megan Faraimo, Kaia Parnaby, Aleshia Ocasio, Lisa Hop, Hsia-Ai Ke, Ya-Ting Tu, Yinan Chai, Eva Voortman, and others.
With its rich legacy and proven role in shaping champions, the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup Finals in Oklahoma City will once again gather the future Olympians and stars of women’s softball on the sport’s biggest youth stage.