FOX Sports to Broadcast 2026 World Baseball Classic Across US Platforms
In 2026, FOX Sports will once again show the World Baseball Classic to American viewers. The tournament will have 47 games that will be shown on TV and streamed online. World Baseball Classic, Inc., which is run by both Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, announced on Tuesday.
The main channel of the network will show seven big games, including three with Team USA, two Quarterfinals, and the Championship Game on March 17 from loanDepot Park in Miami. The rest of the schedule will be available on FS1, FS2, FOX One, the FOX Sports app, and Tubi. FOX Deportes will show 28 games in Spanish, including the title game, both semifinals, and every quarterfinal.
In 2023, FOX first covered the tournament. The final between Japan and the United States had an average of 5.2 million viewers across the country, and during the exciting Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout showdown in the bottom of the ninth, it peaked at 6.5 million. That broadcast helped re-introduce the event to mainstream American fans and showed that baseball’s global flavor still draws massive attention.
Although the event will be watched globally, it’s the US that’s currently bookmakers’ favorite to win, with odds of 7/4 at most of the best online sportsbooks. Japan is next with 3/1, and Spanish-speaking fans can look forward to impressive performances from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico at 22/5 and 19/2, respectively.
“The World Baseball Classic gives the best players around the world an opportunity to represent their countries on a global stage and embodies everything we love about the game – passion, pride, and elite talent,” said Bill Wanger, FOX Sports Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling. “After the unforgettable finish in 2023, we’re honored to deliver this premier event again to fans across the country.”
Noah Garden, the MLB Deputy Commissioner, agreed with that and pointed out that FOX has been promoting baseball since 1996. Garden said, "Baseball is known as America's pastime, but it's a global game with skilled players from all over the world." "FOX Sports will help make the Classic more popular and show what happens when competition meets national pride."
The 2026 tournament will be the sixth since the first one in 2006. It will have 20 national teams split into four pools in Tokyo (Japan), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Houston (Texas), and Miami (Florida). The first game will be on March 4 (U.S. time zones), and Japan will defend its title as the reigning champion.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation will once again recognize the World Baseball Classic as the official world championship for national teams in baseball. With FOX preparing for its 30th season of MLB coverage in 2026, the network’s renewed partnership ensures fans across the U.S. can experience the mix of national pride and elite competition that has made the Classic one of the sport’s most anticipated global events.