OKLAHOMA CITY – Announced today by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex has been named a host site for one of three WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Group Stage events next fall in Oklahoma City with the competition slated for Sept. 17-21, 2024. The upcoming WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup will be the first in its history to be played under the new two-stage format where the Group Stage and the Finals will be held in consecutive years.
More information from the WBSC »
Prince Albert, Canada has been selected as an additional host site for the Group Stage – as well as for the Finals – while Oklahoma City will step up as host of the second group in addition to a third host being announced at a later date. Expanding the number of teams from previous years, 18 squads will participate across the three groups with the top two from each Group Stage event advancing to the Finals in 2025.
Previously hosting the second edition of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in 1968, Oklahoma City looks to welcome this elite level of international Men’s Fast Pitch back to the area for the first time in 56 years while the event returns to the U.S. for the fifth time since its inception in 1966 – previously hosted in Tacoma, Washington (1980) and Midland, Michigan (1984 and 1996). Making its debut at the Softball Capital of the World®, competing teams will look to punch their ticket to the Finals on the dirt that has fielded some of the biggest names to ever play the game.
Known as the Mecca of Softball® and home to the legendary USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field, Oklahoma City has played host to some of the largest softball events in the United States – including the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), the World Cup of Softball, Border Battle and various USA Softball National Championships across all age-divisions. An infrastructure built for the sport’s largest crowds, the complex has seen improvements over the years with some of the most recent being an added upper deck that increased capacity by 4,000 seats, a three-story press box as well as upgraded ticket windows and complex entrances.
As hosts of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Group Stage events, the No. 5 U.S. Men’s National Team (MNT) and No. 4 Canada have been granted an automatic spot in their respective group events – totaling eight qualified teams so far. Joining in on the action, No. 6 Czechia, No. 11 Denmark and No. 16 Netherlands each qualified at the European Championship while No. 3 Japan, No. 12 Singapore and No. 15 Philippines earned a spot via the Asian Qualifier. The Oceania Qualifier is set to take place Nov. 9-11 with two more spots available to fill in the World Cup lineup.
Most recently held in Auckland, New Zealand, the 2022 Men’s Softball World Cup saw Australia claim its second world title while Canada took silver and the U.S. earned bronze – a historic feat that snapped a 22-year medal drought for Team USA.
Additional details regarding the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup will be announced at a later date. For more information about the Men’s National Team program, visit USASoftball.com.