Blind Baseball Announces Teams for International Cup

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced the eight national teams that will compete in the 2026 WBSC International Blind Baseball Cup, to be held at the Simone Piani Baseball Stadium in Castiglione della Pescaia, Tuscany, Italy, from September 30 to October 3.

Eight teams from three continents will play the third edition, marking the internationalization of this novel discipline. The participating teams are Cuba and the United States representing the Americas. Representing Europe will be Italy, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Completing the Asian contingent are Pakistan and Chinese Taipei.

The Czechs and Chinese Taipei will make their debuts in the discipline. A total of twelve teams have now participated in the international cups.

The teams will be divided into two groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the semifinals. The gold medal final is scheduled for October 3. Groups and the competition schedule will be announced at a later date.

Cuba will arrive in Castiglione della Pescaia as defending champions after defeating Italy — the 2022 champions — by a score of 2-1 in the final held in the United Kingdom in 2024.

Blind Baseball is a mixed-gender discipline created in 1994 by the late Alfredo Meli, a former player for Italy's national baseball team. According to the sport's rules, each team consists of five blind players, one sighted player, and four or five sighted assistants.

The WBSC seeks to internationalize a novel discipline that promotes inclusion in a team sport with many fans around the world.