Women’s Softball World Cup Groups Unveiled Across Three Host Countries

The United States of America will host Group C in Oklahoma City.

USA Softball

The road to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Softball World Cup 2027 in Australia has begun. 

The WBSC has announced the groups, and competition will officially kick off in 2026 across Czechia, Peru, and the United States. The finals will be held in Redcliffe, Australia, in April 2027. 

🚨 Breaking news‼️
🔛 Road to Brisbane begins: Groups set for WBSC Women's Softball World Cup 2026/2027
📰 Check out the details here
🔗 https://t.co/D9f2ZKLya2#SoftballWorldCupW pic.twitter.com/Fk6PvI2JXt

— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) December 2, 2025

The WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup will be played under a two-stage format. The top two teams from each group, plus two wild cards, will compete for the gold. 

Here’s a look at which countries will have to battle in order to make it to Australia.

Group A 

• No. 4 Canada 
• No. 6 Chinese Taipei 
• No. 9 Italy 
• No. 10 Australia 
• No. 11 Czechia
• No. 13 Cuba 

Group A will play in Prague, Czechia, from June 16-20, 2026. Prague will see its first softball competition in seven years after co-hosting the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in 2019 with Havlíčkův Brod.

Group B 

• No. 1 Japan 
• No. 3 Puerto Rico 
• No. 12 Great Britain 
• No. 15 Venezuela 
• No. 18 Peru and Uganda 

Almost exactly two years before softball returns to the Olympics in Los Angeles, Group B will play from July 14-18, 2026, in Lima, Peru, at the Villa María del Triunfo Softball Stadium. 

Lima is certainly getting its softball fix, as it hosted the WBSC U-18 Women’s Softball World Cup in 2021 and the Pan American Games in 2019. After hosting Group B in 2026, it will host the Pan American Games again in 2027. 

All eyes will be on No. 1 Japan, the reigning champion, which beat the U.S.A. in 2024. However, the Eagles went on a perfect run this past summer at the World Games 2025 Women’s Softball competition in Chengdu, China, winning their fourth consecutive gold medal. 

Group C 

• No. 2 United States 
• No. 5 Netherlands 
• No. 7 China 
• No. 8 Mexico 
• No. 26 New Zealand 
• No. 37 South Africa 

Group play will conclude in Oklahoma City, Okla., with Group C playing from September 12-16, 2026, at Devon Park, the home of the NCAA Women’s College World Series and the Los Angeles Olympics softball competition. 

Women’s Softball World Cup Returns to Australia 

Set to play at Talobilla Park at Kippa-Ring, the Australian and Queensland Governments have invested $750,000 towards the World Cup, which will attract thousands of players, officials, and spectators from across the globe. 

This is a huge celebration for the game of softball as the first-ever WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup was played at Albert Park in Melbourne in February 1965, with five teams: The U.S.A., Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. The home team took gold in a 1-0 win against the United States.

“After 60 years, the return of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup to Australian soil is more than a sporting milestone," Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh said in the press release. "It is a powerful opportunity to inspire the next generation with Olympic dreams, boost grassroots participation, and deliver lasting benefits to local communities. The strong support from all levels of government to bring the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup to the City of Moreton Bay, Queensland is both welcome and vital.”

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