The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) has awarded hosting rights for the 2023 group stages of its flagship WBSC Women’s Fastpitch World Cup to three European countries: Italy, Ireland and Spain.
Italy has also been awarded the World Cup finals in 2024.
This will be the first time that Ireland, Italy and Spain will have hosted a Softball World Cup in any category, and the second time the that Women’s Softball World Cup will be played in Europe after the Netherlands organised the tournament, then called the Women’s World Championship, in 2014.
How it works
The WBSC Women’s World Cup is now a three-stage affair played over a three-year period.
In Year 1 – which for this World Cup cycle will be 2022 – Continental Women’s Championships will be played, including the European Women’s Championship scheduled for Sant Boi, Spain, from 24-30 July.
Each of the Continental Championships will qualify teams for the World Cup Group stage in 2023. A total of 18 teams will take part in the Group Stage in Year 2, playing in six-team tournaments hosted in separate countries – in this case, Italy, Spain and Ireland.
Most of the 18 teams will have qualified via Continental Championships, but countries hosting the Group Stage tournaments will also have a place if they haven’t qualified on the field.
In Europe, the three medal-winning teams from this year’s European Women’s Championship will qualify for the Group Stage, along with any Group Stage host countries that didn’t manage to win a medal.
The GB Women’s Team, having won the bronze medal at the last two European Championships in which they were able to take part in 2017 and 2019, will be hoping for another medal this year which will bring qualification for the Group Stage.
In Year 3, in 2024, the Women’s World Cup Final will be contested by the teams finishing first and second in each of the Group Stage competitions, plus two wild card teams, which be the host and/or the best of the Group Stage third-place finishers.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said, “We’re delighted to bring the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup back to Europe, with Ireland, Italy and Spain having the honour of co-hosting the biggest international softball event. The Women’s Softball World Cup represents the first WBSC World Cup to be played under our new format that gives more flexibility and opportunities for cities, regions and countries to host and participate in WBSC events.”
Locations
One of the Group Stage tournaments will be hosted in Fingal, Ireland, just a few miles outside Dublin, where a purpose-built softball venue for the tournament will be used.
“We’re so proud of being named co-hosts of the next Women’s Softball World Cup,” said Melanie Cunningham, Director of Fastpitch Ireland. “The development of a facility together with the hosting of such a prestigious event as the World Cup will inspire the next generation of Irish softballers and is perfect to continue developing all disciplines of the sport in our country. This will remain as a long-lasting legacy for our softball community for years to come.”
In Italy, Buttrio and Castions di Strada will host a WBSC Women’s World Cup group in 2023 and the Final in 2024.
“We are very proud that Italy is hosting the Women’s Softball World Cup in 2023 and 2024. It’s the first time for our country and the second time ever in Europe,” said Italian Baseball and Softball Federation President Andrea Marcon. “I believe this choice also comes from the successful organisation of the European Championship in 2021, when we had the opportunity to work side by side with WBSC personnel and our facilities were so much appreciated. These events are really, really good for our sport and we are eager to host softball fans from all over the world.”
The Municipal Baseball & Softball Field in Valencia, Spain, will be the stage for the third World Cup group in 2023.
“We are very excited that Spain, which has never hosted a Women's Softball World Cup, has been chosen as a co-host,” said Jesús Lisarri, Spanish Royal Baseball and Softball Federation President. “This event will be a turning point for Spanish softball and its future growth.”
Exact dates for the WBSC Women’s World Cup Group Stage and Finals will be announced in due course.