WBSC Women's Softball World Cup 2026/2027 Africa spots secured: South Africa win qualifier, Uganda earn first-ever berth
World No. 37 South Africa went undefeated across four games to capture the WBSC Africa Women’s Softball Continental Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, securing the continent’s first qualification spot for the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage 2026. Uganda earned the second African berth after defeating No. 54 Kenya in a play-off.
The event was staged at the Field of Dreams in Nairobi, where South Africa dominated the double round-robin phase to clinch the title. Uganda and Kenya then met in a final play-off game to determine Africa’s second representative at the World Cup with Uganda delivering a commanding 14–3 victory to seal their historic qualification.
For South Africa, it will be their ninth appearance in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup with a best finish of 10th coming in their debut year in 1974.
For Uganda, the qualification marks a significant milestone. It is the first time they have officially earned a spot through the qualification process having previously competed (and finished 24th) in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2016, when the tournament was open-entry and not structured through continental qualifiers. With their runner-up finish in Nairobi, Uganda will also rejoin the WBSC Women’s Softball World Ranking, where they last appeared in January 2020.
Africa Qualifier results
Day 1
- South Africa 15 – 5 Kenya
- Uganda 0 – 10 South Africa
- Kenya 10 – 2 Uganda
Day 2
- Uganda 7 – 5 Kenya
- South Africa 11 – 1 Kenya
- Uganda 0 – 12 South Africa
- Uganda 14 – 3 Kenya
Final standings
- South Africa
- Uganda
- Kenya
World Cup lineup complete
With South Africa and Uganda qualified, the 18 teams competing in the XVIII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup are now confirmed:
- Africa: South Africa, Uganda.
- Americas: No. 2 USA (host), No. 3 Puerto Rico, No. 4 Canada, No. 7 Mexico, No. 13 Cuba, No. 14 Venezuela, and No. 18 Peru (host).
- Asia: No. 1 Japan, No. 5 Chinese Taipei and No. 10 China
- Europe: No. 5 Netherlands, No. 9 Italy, No. 11 Czechia (host), and No. 12 Great Britain.
- Oceania: No. 10 Australia (Finals host), and No. 26 New Zealand.
The World Cup will be played under the two-stage format, with the Group Stage taking place in 2026 and the Finals in 2027.
Group A will open the tournament in Prague, Czechia, from 16 to 20 June 2026; Group B will be played at the Villa María del Triunfo Softball Stadium in Lima, Peru, from 14 to 18 July 2026, and the Group Stage will conclude in Oklahoma City, USA, where Group C will be played from 12 to 16 September 2026 at OKC Softball Park (Devon Park), the venue of the LA28 Olympic softball competition.
The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals will be held at Talobilla Park in Redcliffe, 45 minutes from Brisbane, from 5 to 11 April 2027.