Sports
Miami to host the final of the World Classic 2023
The top baseball tournament returns in 2023, with the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela in the "group of death." Cuba in an affordable key against Europeans and Chinese Taipei.
July 7, 2022 6:53pm
Updated: July 8, 2022 12:24pm
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Baseball Classic will return in 2023. WBCI, which organizes the event, announced on Thursday the dates, venues, and groups for the 2023 Classic.
The fifth edition of the tournament, which will be played from March 9-21, 2023, will be held at Taichung Intercontinental Stadium in Taiwan, the Tokyo Dome in Japan, the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field in Phoenix, and the Miami Marlins' LoanDepot Park in Florida.
The number of teams will expand to 20 for the first time in the tournament's history. The 16 teams that participated in the 2017 Classic are secured, along with the four teams that make it through the qualifying stage of this 2022, which will be held in September in Regensburg, Germany, and at Rod Carew National Stadium in Panama, from September 30 to October 5.
Taichung, Tokyo, Phoenix, and Miami are ready!
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) July 7, 2022
Here is the official tournament format for the #WorldBaseballClassic 2023. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/co0IxZZad4
The World Classic will expand the groups to five teams during the first round in a round-robin format. The top two from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals and the semifinals. The title game will be played at Miami's LoanDepot Park.
From March 9-13, Taichung will host Group A, comprised of the Chinese Taipei teams, Cuba, Italy, the Netherlands, and a winner of the qualifying stage. The Tokyo Dome, which was a group venue in each of the four previous Classics, will again host Group B first-round matches featuring Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, and a winner of another playoff.
The World Baseball Classic is BACK!
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) July 7, 2022
🌏🌍🌎
March, 2023#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/3lE3RLNBns
Group C features the defending champion the United States defending its crown against Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and another qualifier from the qualifiers. While Group D can be categorized as the "group of death" as it includes the 2013 champion Dominican Republic and the finalist of the last two tournaments, Puerto Rico, along with Venezuela, Israel and the last winner of the 2022 qualifiers. The semifinals and finals will be played from March 19 to 21, 2023.
