The 2026 World Baseball Classic is already delivering intense competition across its four pool venues. Saturday, March 7 provided fans with a packed schedule, and three of the tournament’s most anticipated teams — Japan, the United States, and Puerto Rico — all secured their second straight victories to move to 2-0 in pool play. The day unfolded across Tokyo, Houston, and San Juan, giving baseball fans around the world plenty to watch from early morning through late night.
Saturday scores : Japan, U.S. and Puerto Rico all win again
The action started before sunrise in North America, when Japan edged South Korea 8-6 at Tokyo Dome. The matchup between these long-standing rivals lived up to its billing, with Japan holding on for a competitive victory. Later that night in Tokyo, Chinese Taipei continued their impressive run by defeating South Korea 5-4 in a tense finish, pushing the Koreans to a 1-2 record.
In Houston at Daikin Park, the U.S. dismantled Great Britain 9-1, building on their dominant 15-5 win over Brazil on Friday. The American squad looks sharp through two games, generating runs at will and holding opponents well below their own scoring pace. Italy also strengthened their position in Pool B, blanking Brazil 8-0 to improve to 1-0.
Over in San Juan at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico defeated Panama 4-3 in a close contest. The home crowd made their presence felt as Puerto Rico claimed their second victory, following Friday’s 5-0 shutout of Colombia. Venezuela also flexed their offensive muscle, crushing Israel 11-3 to move to 2-0 in Pool D. Canada and the Netherlands rounded out the Saturday wins, beating Colombia 8-2 and Nicaragua 4-3 respectively.
Current 2026 World Baseball Classic standings after Saturday’s games
Following a remarkable opening weekend of games, here is how each pool currently sits heading into Sunday’s matchups :
| Pool | Venue | Top teams | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pool A | Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan | Puerto Rico | 2-0 |
| Pool B | Daikin Park, Houston | United States | 2-0 |
| Pool C | Tokyo Dome, Tokyo | Japan / Australia | 2-0 |
| Pool D | loanDepot Park, Miami | Venezuela | 2-0 |
Australia also sits at 2-0 in Pool C, having opened the tournament with victories over Chinese Taipei (3-0) and Czechia (5-1). Czechia, meanwhile, is yet to score a win after three games. In Pool D, the Dominican Republic holds a 1-0 record after crushing Nicaragua 12-3 on Friday, while the Netherlands fell to 1-1 following Friday’s loss to Venezuela.
The early results from pool play signal that Japan, the U.S., Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Australia could be the teams to watch as the tournament advances toward the quarterfinals on March 13 and 14.
Full WBC schedule : from pool play to the championship game
Sunday, March 8 brings another full slate of games across all four pools. Japan faces Australia at 6 a.m. Eastern on FS1, in what could be a decisive showdown for Pool C positioning. Later in the day, Cuba meets Colombia on FS2 at noon, while the Dominican Republic takes on the Netherlands on Fox at the same time. Italy vs. Great Britain follows at 1 p.m. on Tubi, and the evening slate features Canada vs. Panama on FS2, Israel vs. Nicaragua on Tubi, and Mexico vs. Brazil on FS1.
The week ahead includes several marquee matchups that baseball fans should circle on their calendars :
- Monday, March 9 — Puerto Rico vs. Cuba at 7 p.m. on FS1 (Pool A clash), and U.S. vs. Mexico at 8 p.m. on Fox (Pool B showdown)
- Tuesday, March 10 — Japan vs. Czechia at 6 a.m. on FS1, and U.S. vs. Italy at 9 p.m. on FS1
- Wednesday, March 11 — Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic at 8 p.m. on FS1 in a critical Pool D matchup
Thursday, March 12 is a rest day with no games scheduled. The quarterfinals then tip off Friday, March 13, with two games at loanDepot Park in Miami and Daikin Park in Houston. The semifinals run Sunday and Monday, March 15-16, both at loanDepot Park starting at 8 p.m. The championship game closes out the tournament on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. on FS1, also at loanDepot Park in Miami.
All games are broadcast across the Fox family of networks, including Fox, FS1, and FS2. Streaming is available through the Fox Sports app and Tubi for select matchups. The entire tournament runs from March 4 through March 17, spanning four host cities : Houston, Miami, Tokyo, and San Juan. With powerhouses like Japan and the U.S. already in dominant form, the road to the championship is shaping up to be fiercely competitive. Every game from this point forward carries real weight, and the pool standings will shift dramatically before the quarterfinals arrive.