USA close gap to Japan at top of WBSC Women's Softball World Ranking as Netherlands, Italy improve
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) unveiled today the updated WBSC Women's Softball World Ranking, including the points gained at the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2025 and the European Championship 2025.
Japan remain No. 1 in the ranking, but USA closed the gap after their title at the WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2025 in Oklahoma City, earning 352 points. No. 2 USA now total 3,130 points, just 184 behind Japan, who added 242 and lead the chart with 3,314 points.
The results in Oklahoma City also narrowed the gap between No. 3 Puerto Rico and No. 4 Canada, which is now only 27 points. The red-and-white team earned 139 points for their fifth-place finish in the World Cup, 70 more than Puerto Rico, who placed seventh.
The results at the European Championship 2025 produced a few movements in the rankings. The points earned by Czechia, which replace those from the 2024 European Championship, allowed the Netherlands (1,970) to narrowly pass Chinese Taipei (1,962) in fifth place, returning to the top five with only an eight-point difference. At the same time, No. 9 Italy improved one position after winning the European title, leaving Australia in 10th. These are the only two movements registered in the top 10.
No. 45 Finland was the most improved team in the ranking, moving up eight positions after adding 53 points with their 18th-place finish in the European Championship. No. 23 Austria and No. 50 Türkiye each gained six places, while No. 39 Denmark moved up five positions.
With their 20th-place finish at the European Championship, Lithuania gained 73 points and re-entered the World Ranking in 52nd place, just two months after being unranked in July.
Under the current ranking system, ranking points earned by any national team remain valid for exactly four years. However, if an event takes place within four years of the previous edition, the points from the earlier edition are removed from the rankings as soon as the next edition is held.