Canadian softball player attempts to tag out a Czechian player back in 2019. (Lukáš Machala/ Facebook)

By Jaryn Vecchio

International Competition

Groups announced for upcoming Men’s Softball World Cup in Prince Albert

Feb 13, 2024 | 1:56 PM

Softball players from New Zealand and Singapore will be travelling to Prince Albert later this summer.

Teams from the two countries will take on Canada in the group stage of the XVIII Men’s Softball World Cup happening in Saskatchewan’s third largest city.

P.A. is hosting one of the three groups in July and then the finals in 2025.

So far, 10 teams have qualified for the tournament with another eight spots open: two for African teams, five from the Americas, and a single wildcard spot.

In Group A is Mexico, the group’s host country, defending World Champions Australia, Czechia, and the Philippines. Two teams from the Americas will fill out the remaining spots.

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Group B, which is being hosted in Prince Albert, includes Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore. The remaining three spots will be filled by an African team, an Americas team, and the wildcard.

Mike Branchaud, the CEO of Softball Canada, told paNOW that Canada versus New Zealand could easily be the group’s marquee game.

“On any given day, New Zealand can beat any country in the world. They’re going to be tough; they’re going to be well-coached, and they always have great pitching,” he said.

New Zealand has won seven of the 17 previous World Cups.

However, Branchaud added it wouldn’t surprise him if one of the other four teams becomes the team to beat.

“The level of softball across the world in the men’s game has changed drastically over the last 10 years… gone are the days knowing Canada, New Zealand, or Japan are (automatically) going to be in the gold medal game,” he said.

The teams in Group C are the United States, which is hosting the group, Japan, and the Netherlands. An African team and two teams from the Americas will eventually make up the rest of the group.

Each group will take part in a 15-game round-robin.

The top two teams will then play each other with the winner advancing to next year’s finals. The third and fourth place teams will also compete with the winner taking on the loser of the first and second place game. Whoever wins that game will also advance to the finals.

Six teams will advance this way, while two additional teams will be chosen as wildcards.

Group B will take place in P.A. from July 10 – 14, 2024. Group A games will happen in June, while Group C games are scheduled for September.

The finals are scheduled to take place in Prince Albert July 8 – 13, 2025.

“Prince Albert has world-class facilities, and the crowds are gonna be outstanding,” said Branchaud.

Both events in P.A. will be held at Max Power Ball Fields in Prime Ministers Park in July 2024 and 2025.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow