The World Baseball Classic returns this March, and you don’t need to wait for Opening Day to hear some of the best baseball on the planet.
The 2026 tournament brings back most of the stars who made the last WBC electric. Shohei Ohtani’s back for Japan, Kyle Schwarber returns for Team USA, and Aaron Judge is making his WBC debut. That’s the kind of star power that turned 2023 into must-watch television.
Here’s the thing – plenty of pool play games tip off during work hours in North America, especially those early morning matchups from Tokyo. Radio’s your best bet to stay connected when you can’t watch.
How to Listen
Every single game streams live on the SiriusXM app and website. New subscribers get four months free, which covers the entire tournament and gets you into baseball season.
The audio coverage includes all the marquee matchups, from Japan’s title defense to Team USA’s quest for redemption after falling in the 2023 final.
Complete Schedule
Wednesday, March 4
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Australia vs. Chinese Taipei | 10 p.m. |
Thursday, March 5
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Korea vs. Czechia | 5 a.m. |
| Czechia vs. Australia | 10 p.m. |
Friday, March 6
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Chinese Taipei vs. Japan | 5 a.m. |
| Panama vs. Cuba | 11 a.m. |
| Venezuela vs. Netherlands | 12 p.m. |
| Great Britain vs. Mexico | 1 p.m. |
| Colombia vs. Puerto Rico | 6 p.m. |
| Dominican Republic vs. Nicaragua | 7 p.m. |
| Brazil vs. USA | 8 p.m. |
| Czechia vs. Chinese Taipei | 10 p.m. |
That Brazil vs. USA game on Friday night should draw huge interest. First time these teams meet in WBC play.
Saturday, March 7
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Japan vs. Korea | 5 a.m. |
| Canada vs. Colombia | 11 a.m. |
| Netherlands vs. Nicaragua | 12 p.m. |
| Italy vs. Brazil | 1 p.m. |
| Puerto Rico vs. Panama | 6 p.m. |
| Venezuela vs. Israel | 7 p.m. |
| USA vs. Great Britain | 8 p.m. |
| Korea vs. Chinese Taipei | 10 p.m. |
Sunday, March 8
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Japan vs. Australia | 6 a.m. |
| Cuba vs. Colombia | 12 p.m. |
| Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands | 12 p.m. |
| Italy vs. Great Britain | 1 p.m. |
| Israel vs. Nicaragua | 7 p.m. |
| Canada vs. Panama | 7 p.m. |
| Mexico vs. Brazil | 8 p.m. |
Monday, March 9
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Australia vs. Korea | 6 a.m. |
| Israel vs. Dominican Republic | 12 p.m. |
| Panama vs. Colombia | 12 p.m. |
| Great Britain vs. Brazil | 1 p.m. |
| Puerto Rico vs. Cuba | 7 p.m. |
| Nicaragua vs. Venezuela | 7 p.m. |
| USA vs. Mexico | 8 p.m. |
Tuesday, March 10
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Japan vs. Czechia | 6 a.m. |
| Netherlands vs. Israel | 7 p.m. |
| Puerto Rico vs. Canada | 7 p.m. |
| USA vs. Italy | 9 p.m. |
Wednesday, March 11
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Cuba vs. Canada | 3 p.m. |
| Mexico vs. Italy | 7 p.m. |
| Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic | 8 p.m. |
Pool play wraps up Wednesday, then there’s a day off before the knockout rounds begin. That Venezuela-Dominican Republic finale could decide who advances from what looks like the tournament’s toughest pool.
Knockout Stage
Friday, March 13 – Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Pool D1 vs. Pool C2 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Pool B1 vs. Pool A2 | 8 p.m. |
If the USA advances, they’ll play Friday
Saturday, March 14 – Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Pool A1 vs. Pool B2 | 3 p.m. |
| Pool C1 vs. Pool D2 | 9 p.m. |
If Japan advances, they’ll play Saturday
Sunday, March 15 – Semifinals
Championship weekend moves to Miami
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Friday quarterfinal winners | 8 p.m. |
Monday, March 16 – Semifinals
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Saturday quarterfinal winners | 8 p.m. |
Tuesday, March 17 – Championship
| Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Semifinal winners | 8 p.m. |
The final falls on St. Patrick’s Day, which should make for quite an atmosphere in Miami. Can’t think of a better way to bridge winter and spring than with a WBC championship.
Tournament History
Here’s how the first five tournaments played out:
| Year | Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Japan | United States |
| 2017 | United States | Puerto Rico |
| 2013 | Dominican Republic | Puerto Rico |
| 2009 | Japan | South Korea |
| 2006 | Japan | Cuba |
Japan leads with three titles, but they’ll face their stiffest competition yet. The talent level across the field keeps getting better, and with MLB stars fully buying into the concept, every pool should produce drama.
The early morning starts from Tokyo might test your dedication, but that’s when you’ll hear some of the best baseball storytelling of the year. Nothing quite matches the WBC for pure baseball passion.
