WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2024: Schedule revealed ahead of Cuba’s title defence

Reigning champions Cuba will start the second edition of the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2024 against Lithuania in the opening game of the tournament as they look to defend their title in Hong Kong.

An action-packed opening day on 7 October will see Cuba also face South Africa as all 12 competing nations play, including 2022 runners-up Japan against Australia and third-placed finishers Chinese Taipei against Venezuela and Lithuania respectively.

The 12 teams were placed into two groups last month and will each play five games during the group stage, taking place from 7-9 October.

Group A: Cuba, Chinese Taipei, Venezuela, Hong Kong, South Africa and Lithuania

Group B: Japan, France, Tunisia, Mexico, China and Australia

Played across two fields, World Championship action begins on 7 October at 09:30 (local time) with the Cuba-Lithuania game on Day 1, while the Opening Ceremony will take place later that day at 19:00.

The 30-game Opening Round will be wrapped up on 9 October, but not before 2022’s defending champions Cuba and bronze medallists Chinese Taipei go head-to-head in their final group stage games

The top three finishers from each group will secure a spot in the Super Round, while the remaining six teams will enter the Placement Round.

The Super Round, taking place on 10 and 11 October, will determine the top two teams who will compete for the Baseball5 World Championship title on 12 October at 15:00. Before the final, the third and fourth-placed teams will compete for the bronze medal and the final podium spot.

Now in its second edition, the competition at the Baseball5 World Cup is gearing up to be hotter than ever. Baseball5 will also make its debut in the Youth Olympic Games at Dakar 2026.