FS1 to Carry 19 Games as U.S. Broadcast Plan for 2026 World Baseball Classic Unveiled
The U. S. broadcast lineup for the 2026 World Baseball Classic has been finalized. Broadcasters and streaming partners will combine to air all 47 tournament games, with fs1 scheduled to televise 19 contests including both semifinals in mid-March (Eastern Time).
All 47 games locked into U. S. windows
The tournament opens with Pool C play in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 4 (Eastern Time) — local dates fall a day later — and the remaining pools will begin on Friday, March 6 (Eastern Time). Across a mix of linear networks and streaming services, viewers in the United States will be able to watch every game live or on demand.
fs1 to headline semifinals and key pool matchups
fs1 will present 19 games, headlined by the two semifinal nights in Miami set for Sunday, March 15 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET) and Monday, March 16 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET). Early pool-play highlights scheduled for the channel include Korea vs. Japan on Saturday, March 7 at 5: 00 a. m. (ET); Cuba vs. Puerto Rico on Monday, March 9 at 7: 00 p. m. (ET); and the Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela on Wednesday, March 11 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET).
Major broadcast channel to handle marquee U. S. games
A national broadcast channel will carry seven games, anchored by Team USA’s Houston opener against Brazil at Daikin Park on Friday, March 6 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET)/7: 00 p. m. (CT). That channel’s slate will also include a quarterfinal from Houston on Friday, March 13 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET)/7: 00 p. m. (CT), a quarterfinal from Miami on Saturday, March 14 at 9: 00 p. m. (ET), and the championship game in Miami on Tuesday, March 17 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET).
Spanish-language coverage and streaming options
Spanish-language audio will be widely available, with a majority of the 47 games carrying Spanish broadcasts across various Spanish-language channels and streaming streams. In addition to linear television windows, multiple streaming options will host live and on-demand feeds so viewers nationwide can follow matchups on mobile and connected devices.
What fans should mark on their calendars
Key dates in Eastern Time to note: pool play kicks off March 4 (ET) for Tokyo matches, with broader tournament play beginning March 6 (ET). Semifinals are March 15 and March 16 (both at 8: 00 p. m. ET), and the title game is set for March 17 at 8: 00 p. m. (ET). Ticket access for single-game purchases will be handled through official event ticketing channels for each venue.
International sanctioning and tournament context
The World Baseball Classic is sanctioned as the sport’s official national-team world championship by the international governing body for baseball and softball. The U. S. broadcast plan aims to balance prime-time windows for domestic audiences while accommodating overseas start times for early-round games held in Japan and other host cities.
With fs1 carrying a heavy slate of pool play and the semifinals, fans can expect high-profile matchups to be available on linear television while the broader distribution strategy spreads games across multiple broadcast and streaming outlets to maximize access throughout the tournament.
