World Baseball Classic Kicks Off in Taiwan

AP Photo/I-Hwa Cheng
Baseball fans hold nationals flags of Cuba, Taiwan and Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan — The fifth edition of the World Baseball Classic kicked off Wednesday in Taichung, Taiwan, with the Netherlands playing Cuba in Group A.

The tournament, which features 20 teams, brought energy to the area around the stadium as fans enjoyed taking commemorative photos from the morning on.

Samurai Japan, looking to win the championship for the first time in three tournaments, will play their first game against China at Tokyo Dome on Thursday.

The final will be played in Miami on March 21.