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World Baseball Softball Confederation

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the global governing body for baseball, softball, and Baseball5, overseeing international competitions and development.

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Sport

Baseball and Softball

Founded

2013 (11 years ago)

Headquarters

Pully, Switzerland

Affiliations

International Olympic Committee

Summary

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the international governing body for baseball, softball, and Baseball5. Headquartered in Pully, Switzerland, near Lausanne, the Olympic Capital, the WBSC oversees these sports' administration, promotion, and development globally. Established in 2013 through the merger of the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and the International Softball Federation (ISF), the WBSC represents a unified movement with over 211 National Federation and Associate Members in 139 countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

 

The WBSC governs all international competitions involving national teams. These include the Premier12, the World Baseball Classic, Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23, and Women's), and Softball World Cups (U-12 Mixed, U-15 Women’s, U-18 Women’s, U-18 Men’s, U-23 Men’s, Women’s, and Men’s). It also oversees the official Baseball5 events (Senior and Youth World Cups) and eSports. Baseball and softball are featured in the Olympic Games, with the WBSC managing events for these sports during the Games.

 

The WBSC plays a key role in the global governance of baseball and softball, managing the rules and regulations of competitions and providing leadership for the sports. The WBSC also actively promotes the development of baseball and softball through initiatives such as grassroots programmes, the WBSC Legacy Club, and the sport's expansion into new territories.

 

The WBSC has set nine strategic goals for the 2022-2028 period, aligned with the International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020+5. These goals aim to enhance the growth of the sport globally, particularly in underserved regions, and focus on areas such as governance, inclusion, and sustainability. The organisation’s roadmap includes 73 sub-goals and 436 key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and guide its development strategies.

Disciplines

Baseball:

  • Baseball (WBSC World Championships since 1938)
  • WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup (formerly Junior World Championships, held from 1981 to 2011)
  • WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup (since 2013)
  • WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup (for young players)
  • WBSC Premier12 (international baseball championship since 2015)
  • Women's Baseball World Cup (since 2004)
  • World Baseball Classic (a major international competition)

Softball:

  • Softball (WBSC World Championships since 1965)
  • WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup (for young talents)
  • WBSC U-18 Women's Softball World Cup (for young female players)
  • WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup (a mixed-gender competition)

Baseball5:

  • Baseball5 (an urban discipline with a WBSC World Cup since 2020)
  • WBSC U-18 Baseball5 World Cup (for young urban players)
  • WBSC U-15 Baseball5 World Cup (for the middle-age category)

Baseball and Softball:

  • WBSC World Rankings (ranking system for national teams in baseball and softball)
Membership

There are five continental associations affiliated with the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). These associations are responsible for organising continental championships, providing support for their member federations, and representing their interests at WBSC Board meetings:

  • Asian Baseball and Softball Confederation
  • African Baseball and Softball Confederation
  • European Baseball and Softball Confederation
  • Oceania Baseball and Softball Confederation
  • Pan American Baseball and Softball Confederation
World Baseball Softball Confederation image
Abbreviation
WBSC
Established
2013
Type
Sports Federation
Headquarters
Pully, Switzerland
Region served
Worldwide
President
Riccardo Fraccari
Main organ
General Assembly
Affiliations
International Olympic Committee (IOC), ARISF, GAISF
Membership
208 National Associations
Phone
+41 21 318 8240
Fax
+41 21 318 8241
Social Media
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