The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). The first tournament was held in 2006 and has taken place several times since then, typically every four years.
The tournament features the participation of national baseball teams from around the world, including countries like the United States, Japan, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, and Puerto Rico, among others. Each team selects its best professional players to compete in the tournament.
The tournament format has changed over the years, but it generally consists of two rounds. In the first round, teams are divided into groups and compete in a round-robin format. The top teams advance to the second round, which is divided into two groups. The two best teams from each group move on to the semifinals, and the winners of the semifinals face each other in the final.
The World Baseball Classic is a highly regarded and widely followed competition in the baseball world. There have been several thrilling moments in the tournament's history, including the exciting match between Japan and South Korea in the 2009 final, as well as the victories of the Dominican Republic in 2013 and 2017, making them the first team to win the tournament twice. The next World Baseball Classic is anticipated for 2025.
