Twenty national baseball teams will compete across four venues in three countries in pursuit of glory at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). The international tournament will take place from March 5 to 17, 2026, offering fans a chance to witness the global passion this sport inspires.
Japan enters as the defending champion after defeating the United States in the 2023 title game — the two nations that again stand as the heavy favorites to lift the trophy. The notable absence will be China, which was eliminated after losing all three of its qualifying games.
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2026 World Baseball Classic Odds
Unsurprisingly, Team USA remains the favorite, with a 32% chance to win it all. The 2017 champion boasts plenty of Major League Baseball talent, with Aaron Judge as captain, and has filled out the rest of its roster with the likes of reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, and perennial MVP winners and runners-up Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Bryce Harper, and more.
If any national team can try to challenge USA, it’s Japan, listed second with 29% odds. The three-time WBC champion and defending titleholder is currently ranked No. 1 in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation and will once again be led by Shohei Ohtani, who is fresh off back-to-back World Series titles with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani might not be pitching in the tournament, but a staff led by fellow Dodger Yoshinobu Yamamoto and bolstered by veterans Yusei Kikuchi and Tomoyuki Sugano should give opposing batters fits.
The Dominican Republic, a perennial baseball powerhouse, ranks third with 14% odds. Winners of the 2013 WBC, the Dominican roster is stacked with star talent such as Juan Soto, Fernando Tatís Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Sandy Alcantara, and Cristopher Sánchez.
A tier below is Venezuela (4%), whose best finish came in 2009 with a third-place result. Even without World Series hero Miguel Rojas serving as the de facto captain of the team, Venezuela's lineup is strong, anchored by Ronald Acuña Jr., the Contreras brothers, Maikel Garcia, Gleyber Torres, and Luis Arraez.
Taiwan (3%), Canada (3%), Cuba (3%), and Puerto Rico (3%) round out the list of long shots. The remaining national teams have less than a 2% chance, with a limited history of deep runs in international competition.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be played in Miami, Houston, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Tokyo (Japan). Both semifinals (March 15–16) and the championship game (March 17) will take place at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.
What is Kalshi?
Different than a traditional sportsbook and available in all 50 states, Kalshi allows users to make predictions across several unique markets, including sports, entertainment, elections and even weather.
Kalshi operates on a contract-based system where users buy "contracts" (priced between 1–99 cents) based on whether they believe a specific event will happen. The price of each contract fluctuates in real time based on market sentiment and like the stock market, traders can sell positions early to lock in profits (or minimize losses).
