As expected when the tournament began two weeks ago, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, and Team USA secured a spot in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Team USA advanced through the 2026 World Baseball Classic with wins over Canada and the Dominican Republic.
- They will face either a powerhouse squad (Venezuela) or an upset-minded team (Italy) in the championship game on March 17.
- The matchup will determine if Team USA can reclaim the title they last won in 2017.
After needing help from Team Italy just to reach the quarterfinals, Team USA has since taken care of business. First, Team USA notched a 5–3 victory over Canada in the quarterfinals, and then recorded a thrilling 2–1 victory over the Dominican Republic in the semis. Here’s what you need to know about the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game:
Who will Team USA play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game?
Team USA will either face Ronald Acuña Jr., Luis Arraez, and a loaded Team Venezuela squad on Tuesday night or the Italians. Team Venezuela notched an 8–5 victory over Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan in the quarterfinals last Saturday night. Acuña Jr. and Co. celebrated by saying that they 'ate sushi', and are favored to defeat Italy in the semifinal.
Thanks to upstarts Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone, Italy stunned Nolan Arenado and Puerto Rico, 8–6, in the quarterfinals last Saturday. The Italians won Team USA's pool, which included a victory over the Americans, in which manager Mark DeRosa played his B lineup (being generous here) with the assumption the U.S. had already clinched its spot in the quarterfinals. That was not the case, and Italy pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament as a result.
Has Team USA won the World Baseball Classic before?
Yes, Team USA won the 2017 World Baseball Classic, defeating Puerto Rico in the championship game. Notable names on Team USA included San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, then-Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and then-Miami Marlins outfielders Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton. However, the star proved to be Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones, who hit two homers and made an incredible home-run saving catch in a second-round victory over the Dominican Republic.
More recently, Team USA lost to Team Japan in the 2023 WBC title game. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout headlined a stacked Team USA squad, and he’s one of several players we eventually expect to see in the Hall of Fame. Arenado, Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright, and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts are among the other potential Hall of Famers from the 2023 Team USA roster.
When is the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game
- Team USA vs. Team Italy/Team Venezuela
- First pitch: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PST at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla., on Tuesday, March 17.
- How to watch: FOX