TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Dome will host the preliminary and second rounds of the 2027 WBSC Premier12, after the World Baseball Softball Confederation announced a new four-stage format for the expanded international baseball tournament on Monday.
The WBSC unveiled the format at a press conference at the Grand HiLai Taipei, confirming that the tournament will expand from 12 to 16 teams for the first time. The expanded field reflects the global growth of baseball and will also serve as a pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, which will feature a six-team baseball competition, per a press release.
The upcoming Premier12 competition will consist of four stages: a preliminary round, a second round, a super round, and medal games. The super round and medal games will be held at Tokyo Dome.
Taipei and Tokyo will serve as the two main tournament hubs, with Taipei hosting the first two stages. The preliminary round will feature four groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the second round.
The eight teams in the second round will then be divided into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Tokyo Dome, culminating in medal games on Nov. 21, 2027.
The preliminary round will be held in two phases. The Taiwan group is scheduled for Nov. 8-12, while the dates for the other three groups have yet to be confirmed. The second round will be held Nov. 13-15, followed by the super round in Tokyo from Nov. 18-20 and the medal games on Nov. 21.
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari described Premier12 as the organization's flagship event and one of the world's most prestigious international baseball tournaments. "We are very proud to see the Premier12 continue to grow with each edition," Fraccari said.
“In 2027, the tournament will expand from 12 to 16 teams for the first time. This is an important milestone for the Premier12 and for our sport, reflecting the growing strength, depth, and global reach of baseball.”
The preliminary round will feature the top 12 teams in the WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings as of Dec. 31, 2025: Japan, Taiwan, US, South Korea, Venezuela, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Netherlands, Cuba, Australia, and the Dominican Republic, per the press release.
The remaining four teams will qualify through two tournaments scheduled for 2026. Barcelona, Spain, will host the first qualifier from Oct. 9-11, featuring Colombia, Italy, Germany, and Spain. The top two teams will advance to the Premier12.
The second qualifier will be held in Zhongshan, China, from Nov. 26-28. Nicaragua, the Czech Republic, China, and the UK will compete for the final two spots.
Taiwan will also be seeking one of two available qualification spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during the Premier12 tournament.
