The XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup will open next year with a new Two-Stage format. Group A will compete in Dublin, Ireland from 11-15 July; followed by Group B in Valencia, Spain, from 18-22 July; and Group C in Castions di Strada & Buttrio, Italy, from 22-26 July.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) have unveiled the groups and dates for the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage, to be played from 11-26 July, 2023 in Ireland, Italy and Spain. The tournament will be the first event to be played under the new Two-Stage format. 

“The XVII Women’s Softball World Cup represents the return of the premier international women’s softball event to European soil, a demonstration of the development of softball on the continent with three countries passionate about sport – Ireland, Italy and Spain – hosting this major softball event for the first time in their history,” said WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. “This breakthrough event will be a milestone for our organisation, with the debut of the Two-Stage tournaments, providing more opportunities for teams to participate and for countries to host events like these.”

To open the XVII Women’s Softball World Cup, an expanded number of 18 teams representing the five Olympic continents have been drawn into three groups of six teams, each of them to be played in a different location. 

The tournament will start with Group A in Dublin, Ireland, from 11-15 July; followed by Group B in Valencia, Spain, from 18-22 July; and Group C in Castions di Strada & Buttrio, Italy, from 22-26 July. The groups are as follows:

• Group A: Ireland (host), Australia, Great Britain, USA, Africa 2 and Asia 3. 
• Group B: Spain (host), Cuba, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Africa 1 and Asia 2. 
• Group C: Italy (host), Canada, New Zealand, Venezuela, Asia 1 and a wild card.