Japan arrives at the World Baseball Classic as reigning champions, but the path back to the top won’t be easy.
The United States, still feeling the sting of a narrow defeat in the 2023 championship game against the Japanese, has loaded up for this year with Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal among the stars on the American roster.
Japan, however, is bringing back Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto after another World Series run with the Dodgers, and newly-arriving major-leaguers Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto will help anchor the lineup alongside Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki.
Japan and the USA won’t match up until the bracketed portion of the World Baseball Classic, if at all, but the path for Japan to get there is already laid out.
Here’s a look at Japan’s 2026 World Baseball Classic schedule, including how to watch the games.
Japan World Baseball Classic schedule 2026
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, March 6 | Japan 13, Chinese Taipei 0 (7 inn.) | — | — |
| Sat., March 7 | Japan 8, South Korea 6 | — | — |
| Mon., March 9 | Japan vs. Australia | 6 a.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| Wed., March 11 | Japan vs. Czechia | 6 a.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| March 13 or 14 | Quarterfinals | TBD | TBD |
| March 15 or 16 | Semifinals | 8 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| March 17 | Championship | 8 p.m. | Fox, Fubo |
Where to watch World Baseball Classic 2026
- TV channels: Fox, FS1, FS2
- Live stream: Fubo, Fox One, Tubi
The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be broadcast by the Fox networks, including the main channel, FS1 and FS2. All of those games can be streamed live via Fubo, and some additional games will stream on Tubi and Fox One.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
World Baseball Classic radio coverage 2026
Fans can listen to every 2026 World Baseball Classic game live on SiriusXM.
New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
Japan World Baseball Classic roster 2026
Manager: Hirokazu Ibata
| No. | Player | Pos. | B/T | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Shoma Fujihara | P | R/R | Rakuten Golden Eagles |
| 14 | Hiromi Itoh | P | L/R | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters |
| 17 | Yusei Kikuchi | P | L/L | Los Angeles Angels |
| 57 | Koki Kitayama | P | R/R | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters |
| 1 | Yuki Matsui | P | L/L | San Diego Padres |
| 66 | Yuki Matsumoto | P | L/R | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
| 13 | Hiroya Miyagi | P | L/L | Orix Buffaloes |
| 15 | Taisei Ota | P | R/R | Yomiuri Giants |
| 63 | Ryuhei Sotani | P | L/L | Orix Buffaloes |
| 29 | Tomoyuki Sugano | P | R/R | Colorado Rockies |
| 52 | Chihiro Sumida | P | L/L | Saitama Seibu Lions |
| 34 | Hiroto Takahashi | P | R/R | Chunichi Dragons |
| 55 | Atsuki Taneichi | P | R/R | Chiba Lotte Marines |
| 64 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | P | R/R | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 61 | Yuhei Nakamura | C | R/R | Tokyo Yakult Swallows |
| 23 | Seishiro Sakamoto | C | R/R | Hanshin Tigers |
| 13 | Kenya Wakatsuki | C | R/R | Orix Buffaloes |
| 6 | Sosuke Genda | IF | L/R | Saitama Seibu Lions |
| 3 | Kaito Kazono | IF | L/R | Hiroshima Toyo Carp |
| 2 | Shugo Maki | IF | R/R | Yokohama DeNA BayStars |
| 5 | Taisei Makihara | IF | L/R | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
| 55 | Munetaka Murakami | IF | L/R | Chicago White Sox |
| 25 | Kazuma Okamoto | IF | R/R | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 7 | Teruaki Soto | IF | L/R | Hanshin Tigers |
| 8 | Kensuke Kondo | OF | L/R | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
| 23 | Shota Morishita | OF | R/R | Hanshin Tigers |
| 20 | Ukyo Shuto | OF | R/R | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks |
| 51 | Seiya Suzuki | OF | R/R | Chicago Cubs |
| 34 | Masataka Yoshida | OF | L/R | Boston Red Sox |
| 16 | Shohei Ohtani | DH | L/R | Los Angeles Dodgers |
