WBSC Announces Dates for U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced the dates for the II WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup. The top U-12 softball players in the world will gather this year from 1-5 December in Taichung/TPE, and compete for the title of world champion in the youth category.

“With twice as many teams compared to the inaugural edition in 2019, the second WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup is yet another expression of our commitment and determination in supporting and promoting gender-equity in sport, both on and off the field,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “Our aim is to make this one of the most progressive and inclusive youth events in international sport.”

A total of eight mixed-gender teams will be featured at the WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup 2021, with the breakdown by continent as follows:

• Africa: 1 team
• Americas: 2 teams
• Asia: 2 teams
• Europe: 1 team
• Oceania: 1 team
• Wild card/Host nation: 1 team

The teams will be drawn into two groups for an opening round-robin, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super Round. The two nations with the best Super Round records will play in the world championship final, while the third- and fourth-place finishers will meet in the bronze medal game.

The WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cup boasts a newly launched tournament format that is designed to further boost gender equality across all WBSC disciplines.

All squads must include 14-16 players aged 10 to 12, and each team must include at least four females and four males on the field of play at any one time, with a batting line-up alternating between five female and five male players.

In July 2019, the first-ever WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball World Cupwas held in Tainan/TPE. Host Chinese Taipei claimed the world title, while Peru and Czech Republic completed the podium, winning the silver and bronze medals, respectively. For the South America and European teams, it was their first-ever medal in a WBSC Softball World Cup. Indonesia completed the field, finishing in fourth place.