THUNDER BAY — Canada may have the luxury of not having to win their way into the 2024 Women’s Baseball World Cup, but the team still wants to earn its way there.
And while the roster has yet to be finalized, Team Canada hopefuls now know who they’ll have to overcome to do so, and when the games will be played, when the group stage qualifier arrives at Port Arthur Stadium and Baseball Central later this summer.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation announced that Canada will play in Group A, alongside Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico and the always powerful United States.
Cuba, France, Japan, Puerto Rico Chinese Taipei and Venezuela will compete in Group B in September in Miyoshi City, Japan.
The top two finishers in each group, plus two wild cards, will join Canada and the WBWC in Thunder Bay in 2024.
“We certainly want to come through the front door,” said Baseball Canada’s Adam Morissette. “We want our players and athletes and even our coaches to really take advantage of this opportunity to showcase what our program is all about, in front of some of the best teams in the world.
“There are going to be some excellent teams. Certainly the U.S. is always strong. Australia is strong. Mexico and Korea and Hong Kong always have competitive teams too, so it’s a really important event, not only as we gear up for 2024, but just in terms of the development and the experience of our athletes this coming summer in Thunder Bay.”
Canada kicks off the qualifier on Aug. 8 at Baseball Central against Mexico, and will take on Hong Kong the following night.
On Aug. 10 the action switches to Port Arthur Stadium and the match that’s on everyone’s calendar, a battle with the United States, a team they played a five-game friendly series against last summer in Thunder Bay. They’ll take on Korea on Aug. 11 and Australia in the finale on Aug. 12.
Thunder Bay International Baseball Association president Nick Melchiorre said getting the groups finalized and being able to unveil the schedule brings the 2023 Group Stage event one step closer to reality.
“It’s definitely coming together. We’re excited now that we have the schedule and we know the teams. We have great rosters coming to Thunder Bay. Yeah, it’s exciting,” Melchiorre said.
“I think most of these teams are in the top 10, and geo-politically we’ve got the three amigo countries of Mexico, Canada and the U.S.A. And we’ve got our Commonwealth friends in Australia joining us and we have Hong Kong, China, also coming, and Korea. It’s going to be great to have so many different countries from each part of the world come join us in Thunder Bay.”
It’s a great lead-up for 2024, Melchiorre added.
“It also puts Thunder Bay again on the international baseball map, that we’re holding the qualifiers and the world championship next year. It also helps Team Canada. Not only do they get an automatic qualifier because they’re the host next year, but they get to play in front of the home crowd.
Canada is ranked third in the world in women’s baseball, behind Japan and Chinese Taipei. The U.S. is fourth, Australia is No. 8 and Korea, Hong Kong and Mexico are 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively.
Tickets for the event will be sold at the door, with full-day passes to see any or all of the three games being played that day being offered.
