Okinawa (Japan) will host the XXXII U-18 Baseball World Cup from September 5 to 14. Japan, the defending U-18 World Champions, also hosted the event in 2015.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced the groups for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS, set to be played in Okinawa (Japan) from September 5 to 14.
Group A will include World No. 1 Japan, No. 6 Korea, No. 9 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Cuba, No. 14 Italy, and No. 31 South Africa.
World No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 5 USA, No. 8 Panama, No. 12 Australia, No. 17 Germany, and No. 20 China will compete in Group B.
Japan are the defending U-18 Baseball World Champions. In September 2023, they defeated Chinese Taipei in the final to win the XXXI edition at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei City.
It will be the second time for Japan as the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup host after Samurai Japan finished second behind USA in Osaka in 2015.
It is one of four silver medals for Japan, who have reached the podium seven times out of nine participations earning also two bronze medals.
Six countries have won the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, with Cuba leading with 11 wins, followed by USA (10), Korea (5), Chinese Taipei (3), Canada and Japan (1).