Baseball in the UK is about to hit a new level of excitement in 2026, from the World Baseball Classic to the Women’s Euro Qualifiers, and a British star is set to make history in the new Women’s Pro Baseball League.
With that excitement, comes expectation, which is high headed into the World Cup of baseball that is less than two months away.
Last time out in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Team GB made national history by making their debut appearance at the competition.
The Brits made the nation proud and even came home with their first-ever win at the Classic, beating Colombia 7-5 at Chase Field.
Fast forward three years and Great Britain are once again competing at the World Baseball Classic with hope of going further than the last time around.
Richard Evans, the President of the British Baseball Federation said: “The goal is to improve on the one victory over Colombia in 2023 and make sure of automatic qualification for the next WBC tournament.
“Head Coach Bradley Marcelino will take charge of what promises to be an exciting and experienced roster that will include Harry Ford, who has made such a positive contribution in the GB jersey.”
“With the British Baseball Federation committed to growing the game here, particularly among young players, the WBC is an opportunity to allow fans to watch and get involved in what has become the true World Cup of baseball.”
“It is vital, for all those who give up their time at the 60 clubs across the country to develop and grow the sport, to see players with Great Britain on their chests competing against the best in the world.”
With the likes of Washington Nationals catcher Harry Ford, as well as Alex Webb and Nick Ward, who appeared for the team in 2023, GB are hoping to get the bats hot from the first pitch.
Great Britain will begin their campaign with a matchup against Mexico on March 6th. They will have to take on a star-studded side featuring MLB stalwarts such as Randy Arozarena, Isaac Paredes and 2025 World Series runner-up, Alejandro Kirk.
The GB National Team will then take on 2023 Classic runners-up, the USA, two days later on March 8th, before rounding up their Pool B games against Italy and Brazil.
Not only is this another huge milestone in the history of the Great Britain National Team, but it paves the way for what is expected to be a memorable year for baseball in the country.
Beyond the classic, the new BBF season begins for teams across the country in April, with more teams competing in their respective divisions than ever.
The Men’s national team will be involved in the qualifying for the Premier12 Tournament with a chance to make it to the main tournament in 2027.
The Women’s national side will continue to strengthen their bid for a chance to make it to the Olympics in 2028 as they aim to qualify for the Women’s World Cup later this year.
And to top it off, British superstar, Laura Hirai, could make history this summer after being drafted into the brand new Women’s Pro League in the States.
The widely respected right-handed pitcher remains the only woman to play for the Great Britain under-18s team and has been drafted into the newly formed American League by Boston.
Baseball in the UK has been undergoing a renaissance since the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and this year, we can expect to see the sport grow exponentially.
Article by Alex Lane-Kieltyka. Check out his other work here. He can be found on Twitter @alex_elkay21
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