The 2026 World Baseball Classic has announced the venues for the tournament, with loanDepot Park in Miami hosting games in all three rounds for the second consecutive season. Tokyo Dome, a staple of all previous WBCs, will host first-round games in 2026, while Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico will also host first-round games, marking the first time games have been played there since 2013. Additionally, Houston’s Minute Maid Park will host WBC games for the first time, making the Astros the eighth MLB team to have their home venue host a portion of the event.
Astros owner Jim Crane expressed excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to host World Baseball Classic games at Minute Maid Park. He praised Houston as a global city with passionate baseball fans and expressed pride in welcoming fans from around the world to watch international competition at his home stadium. Each of the four venues will host one of the four pools in the first round of play. Minute Maid Park and loanDepot Park will then host the quarterfinals, with the final stages of the tournament taking place at loanDepot Park in Miami.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic saw Japan emerge victorious over the United States in
