Italy, Mexico and Spain tune up for 2026 season ahead of Mexican Softball League Opening Day
With the start of the new year, the international softball spotlight has turned to Mexico, where world No. 7 Mexico, No. 9 Italy and No. 15 Spain are playing a series of games during the first weeks of January as part of their preparation for the 2026 international season.
Ahead of the Mexican Softball League (LMS) Opening Day on 22 January, the three national teams are facing LMS clubs in high-level competition as they begin their build-up toward a busy international calendar, which includes the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2026/2027 Group Stage to be played in Prague, Lima and Oklahoma City later this year.
Italy opened their tour with a four-game series against Bravas de León from 13 to 16 January, followed by two games against Diablas in Mexico City on 18 and 19 January. The Italians will compete in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage in Prague from 16 to 20 June.
Spain is playing 12 games over nine days, including three matchups against Charros in Guadalajara, five games against Sultanas, and four contests against the Mexican National Team in Monterrey. The tour is part of Spain’s preparation for potential qualification for the the LA28 Olympic Games.
Mexico, currently ranked seventh in the world, will also face Sultanas as part of its preparations for the season. The hosts will compete in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage in Oklahoma City from 12 to 16 September.
The Mexican Softball League 2026 season will feature 28 games, divided into 14 two-game series. The top four teams, based on their winning percentage in the regular season, will advance to the postseason. The playoffs will begin on March 10, and the Serie de la Reina, a best-of-five championship series, will start on March 17.