When does the World Baseball Classic start?

The World Baseball Classic is back in 2023. This global exhibition baseball tournament is held once every four years, just like the Olympics and World Cup. This will be the fifth time that it has occurred and the first since 2017. Originally scheduled for 2022, the tournament was pushed back one year due to COVID-19. The 2023 World Baseball Classic will start on March 8 and run through March 21.

2023 World Baseball Classic

Start date: March 8
Location: Taichung Stadium in Taiwan
Broadcast info: Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, or the Fox Sports App

The United States heads into this year’s tournament as the reigning champs. They overcame Puerto Rico 8-0 at Dodger Stadium to win their first-ever WBC. Japan won the first two World Baseball Classics, with the Dominican Republic taking the victory in 2013.

This year’s tournament field was increased to 20 teams rather than the traditional 16. There will still be four Pools, but each one will now have five teams. Chinese Tapei will host Pool A, Japan will host Pool B, the U.S. will be the Pool C hosts and Puerto Rico will host Pool D. The Czech Republic, Nicaragua and Great Britain are all competing in their first tournaments.

The Dominican Republic, from Group D, has the best odds to win the tournament at DraftKings Sportsbook. They are installed at +200, with the United States (+230), Japan (+275) and Puerto Rico (+900) close behind.