The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) officially announced the dates and locations for the 2024 WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals. The diamonds of Castions di Strada and Buttrio in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy will serve as the battlegrounds for the title of World Champion from July 15-21, 2024.
“With the group stage just around the corner, it's hard to find a better time to announce that the biggest softball teams and players in the world will compete again in Europe in the summer of 2024,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "Next year's Finals will be the culmination of the first two-stage World Cup in WBSC history, with the best of the best in the softball world playing in Italy for the women's world title."
FIBS President Andrea Marcon said, "After the 2021 European Championship and the Women's Softball World Cup Group C tournament this month, hosting the Finals of the Women's Softball World Cup in 2024 is the fulfillment of a truly exciting journey for us. The expected success and attention of the WBSC Softball World Cup in Italy, with the precious support of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, makes for a perfect sporting summer at the top for the Old Continent with the Finals fitting perfectly between the UEFA European Championship from June 14th to July 14th and the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26th to August 11th."
The XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals will take place at Campo Comunale Softball in Castions di Strada and Campo Baseball-Softball Gino Michelutti in Buttrio. The XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup is the first WBSC event to be played under the Two-Stage Format.
The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage is set to begin on July 11, 2023 at Bremore Castle in Balbriggan, Ireland on Day 1 of Group A. Valencia, Spain will host Group B from July 18-22, 2023, while Buttrio and Castions di Strada, Italy will host Group C from July 22-26. 2023. The top two teams from each of the three groups, two wild cards and host Team Italy will advance to next year's finals.
The XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals will be an eight-team single round-robin tourney from July 15-20, 2024. The first and second place teams will battle for the World Championship, while the third and fourth place finishers will compete for the bronze medal on July 21, 2024. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals Official Website
(Photo of Team USA celebrating after winning the 2018 Softball World Cup Championship)
