TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Team Taiwan faced off against Spain at Taipei Dome on Friday but after a strong showing by the visitors, Taiwan was well beaten 12-5.
Taiwan is hosting the first round of qualifying matches for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Championship, which will determine the final teams to secure a place in next year’s tournament.
Starting pitcher Chen Yu-hong (陳宇宏) was unable to hold back the powerful Spanish batting lineup, which scored two runs in the opening inning. After Spain scored again in the third inning, Taiwan gained a bit of momentum when Chang Yu-cheng (張育成) hit a homer, bringing Chen Chong-yu (陳重羽) home to narrow the gap by two.
However, the momentum did not last beyond the fifth inning, when the Spanish team all but sealed victory with an impressive six runs. Batters Edison Valerio and Wander Encarnacion sent hard drives to the outfield, bringing in doubles for Spain, along with runs from Rusber Estrada and Jesus Ustariz.
Taiwan was unable to match Spain's offensive performance in the bottom of the fifth, and Spain continued to widen the gap with two more runs in the sixth inning, making the score 12-2.
Taiwan scored again in the bottom of the seventh when a hit by Wu Nien-ting (吳念庭) brought home Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲). Although Taiwan put up a good fight, scoring twice more in the final inning, it was not enough to overcome Spain's substantial lead.
Following Taiwan’s impressive victory over Japan in the WSBC Premier 12 Championship in November, fans across Taiwan were eager to show their support for the team in a new international competition. City Halls throughout the country hosted outdoor watch parties to enjoy the game.
Despite Taiwan's loss to Spain, the team still has an opportunity to secure a spot in the 2026 WBC tournament. Team Taiwan will face off against South Africa on Saturday, and Nicaragua on Sunday. Earlier on Friday, in the opening match of the qualifiers Nicaragua defeated South Africa 2-1.
The matches in Taipei this week will determine which two teams from Taiwan, Spain, Nicaragua, and South Africa will move on to the final tournament scheduled for March 2026. A separate round of qualifiers held in Arizona will see Germany, Colombia, Brazil, and China compete to secure the final two spots in the tournament comprised of 20 teams, per the MLB.
The WBC Classic is held every four years and is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. The 2026 tournament will be held across four cities to include stadiums in Tokyo, Houston, Miami, and San Juan.
