Schedule revealed for WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024; Hosts Colombia take on Italy on opening day

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced today the official schedule for the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2024, scheduled from 16 to 25 August in Colombia. Play begins at 10:30 (local time) each day with Mexico taking on South Africa in Barranquilla in Game 1 of the tournament on Friday 16 August and the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei opening the competition in Cartagena.

See the 50-game schedule here.

The 12 participating nations have been drawn into two groups to open the World Cup:

Group A: No. 1 Japan, No. 9 Dominican Republic, No. 12 Puerto Rico, No. 13 Colombia, No. 14 Italy and No. 33 Guam.

Group B: No. 2 Mexico, No. 5 Chinese Taipei, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 7 Netherlands, No. 20 Nicaragua and No. 34 South Africa.

The opening day also sees Guam and Puerto Rico face off at the Edgar Renteria Stadium in Barranquilla at 15:00 while Nicaragua play Venezuela at 11 de Noviembre Stadium in Cartagena. Dominican Republic and Japan will close Day 1 in Barranquilla at 19:00 while hosts Colombia take on Italy in Cartagena at the same time.

The Opening Round will run from 16 to 20 August followed by a rest day on 21 August. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Round, to be played from 22 to 24 August, carrying with them the results among the qualified teams.

The World Championship Final will be played on 25 August at Edgar Renteria Stadium, featuring the top two teams in the Super Round. The third and fourth place finishers in the Super Round will play in the same venue for the bronze medal.

Colombia is hosting a Baseball World Cup again six years after the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018, played in Barranquilla and Monteria.