By hosting a group of the WBSC U18 Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage, Brazil is the ninth qualified team for the tourney. Runner-up Team Italy, 2023 Euro champion Czech Republic, and third-place finisher Ireland are the European competitors. Japan, Chinese Taipei and China are the Asian representatives, while Australia and New Zealand are the Oceania qualifiers. The dates of the Americas and Africa Qualifiers have yet be determined.
The U18 World Cup will continue in the two-phase format with the 18 participating teams being distributed into three groups. The top two teams in the final standings of each group and the two wild cards will advance to the final phase, which is scheduled for 2025.
Taking advantage of the two-stage World Cup, which has opened up new opportunities for more countries to host a WBSC World Cup and broadened the appeal of international softball events, Brazil is 16th nation to host a World Cup for the first time. In addition, Brazil is the fourth South American country and sixth Latin American nation to host a Softball World Cup. The last U18 World Cup was held in Lima, Peru in 2021 when USA defeated Chinese Taipei 1-0 to win the gold medal.
Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Team Italy manager Andrea Longagnani talking to the U18 softball squad during the European Championship final against the Czech Republic by LG/FIBS)
