Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic from Japan, Puerto Rico, and the USA
Baseball’s Biggest International Stage Returns
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is an international professional baseball tournament between 20 national baseball teams, planned to be the sixth iteration of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), and to be played from March 5 to 17, 2026. This year’s tournament promises to be one of the most exciting sporting events of the spring, bringing together the world’s best baseball talent in a celebration of the sport’s global reach.
In all, 47 games will be played over 13 days at four sites: the Tokyo Dome, San Juan Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Miami’s loanDepot Park and Houston’s Daikin Park. Team Japan, the only nation to win multiple WBC crowns (2006, 2009, 2023), is aiming for its fourth title while the Dominican Republic (2013) and U.S. (2017) are the only other winners of the event.
The tournament kicks off with pool play beginning March 4 in Tokyo, with the remaining pools starting March 6. The U.S. roster is led by captain Aaron Judge and features both 2025 Cy Young winners in Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes. Team USA boasts a combined 65 MLB All-Star Game appearances and four former MVPs in Judge, Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt and Clayton Kershaw. Meanwhile, Japan’s roster features 2025 NLCS MVP Shohei Ohtani and 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both of the Dodgers, in addition to Angels lefty starter Yusei Kikuchi and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
Understanding Broadcasting Rights and Geographic Restrictions
For baseball fans around the world, watching the World Baseball Classic presents unique challenges depending on where they’re located. The tournament’s broadcasting rights have been divided among different networks and streaming platforms across various countries, creating a complex web of viewing options.
The FOX Sports family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes), the FOX Sports App and Tubi will combine to air all 47 games of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in the United States, and all matchups will be available to stream live and on-demand on FOX One. Additionally, 41 out of the 47 contests will air in Spanish across a combination of FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App, Tubi and FOX One.
Netflix reached an agreement with the World Baseball Classic Inc. for the exclusive broadcasting rights in the Japanese market for all 2026 tournament games. This represents a significant shift for Japanese viewers, as this marks the first time Samurai Japan WBC games will not be available on terrestrial television in Japan.
Why Sports Streaming Faces Geographic Barriers
The reality of modern sports broadcasting is that content availability varies dramatically depending on your location. Broadcasting rights for major sporting events are sold on a country-by-country basis. This business model creates what’s known as geo-blocking, a practice that has become increasingly common in the streaming era.
The most common reason for geo-blocking is licensing or copyright. To legally distribute a particular piece of content in your region, a service needs to own the distribution rights to that specific market. For international tournaments like the World Baseball Classic, these rights become even more complex because multiple broadcasters across different countries negotiate separate deals.
Geo-blocking is the blocking of content depending on your IP address’s location. Using this, geo-technology looks up the location details of the IP and checks if the detected country is allowed or not to view said content. When you attempt to access a streaming service, the platform immediately checks your IP address to determine your geographic location and whether you have permission to view the content.
The Economics Behind Regional Broadcasting
Another reason why streaming platforms implement geoblocks is the cost. Streaming services must pay for the rights to distribute content, and purchasing a license for a single nation will be less expensive than purchasing a global license. This economic reality shapes how fans around the world can access major sporting events.
For the World Baseball Classic specifically, the tournament’s organizers have negotiated different broadcasting arrangements in key markets. While FOX handles the United States coverage and Netflix has secured Japan’s rights, Tving, the South Korean streaming service owned by entertainment company CJ ENM, will provide live coverage for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) national teams competition after securing exclusive rights in the country. Under the deal, Tving will air all 47 games live from next year’s tournament, which will feature 20 teams competing in four first-round pools in Tokyo (Japan), San Juan (Puerto Rico), and US cities Houston and Miami.
Accessing the Tournament from Different Locations
The fragmented nature of broadcasting rights means that fans traveling internationally or living outside their home country may find themselves unable to access their preferred coverage. This situation is particularly frustrating for expatriates, business travelers, and fans who want to watch specific commentary teams or language broadcasts.
The Technical Challenge of Location Detection
Online platforms typically rely on the information provided by your internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP assigns you an IP address, which generally corresponds to your physical location. By analyzing this IP address, online platforms can determine your location and apply geo-blocking accordingly.
This system works effectively for broadcasters and rights holders, but it creates genuine problems for legitimate viewers. A Japanese fan traveling to the United States during the tournament might find they can’t access their Netflix subscription to watch Team Japan’s games. Similarly, an American stationed overseas for work might be unable to access FOX Sports to cheer on Team USA.
Solutions for International Viewers
For fans facing geographic restrictions, virtual private networks offer a practical solution. A VPN works by routing your internet connection through a server in a different location, effectively changing your apparent geographic position. A VPN routes your internet connection through a server in a country of your choice, making it appear as if you’re browsing from there. This is a popular method on how to bypass geoblocking for live sports.
When selecting a VPN service for streaming the World Baseball Classic, several factors deserve consideration. Connection speed is paramount—live sports require consistent, high-bandwidth connections to avoid buffering during crucial moments. Server locations matter significantly as well; you’ll want access to servers in countries where your preferred broadcast is available.
Security features should not be overlooked. A quality VPN service provides strong encryption to protect your data while you’re streaming. This becomes especially important when using public Wi-Fi networks in hotels, airports, or cafes while traveling. Le VPN offers robust encryption protocols and a stealth untraceable protocol based on obfuscated wireguard that can bypass any censorship or restriction, ensuring your connection remains secure and your streaming uninterrupted.
Practical Streaming Tips for Baseball Fans
Successfully streaming the World Baseball Classic from anywhere in the world requires some preparation. The tournament’s schedule spans multiple time zones, with games in Tokyo starting at times that may be inconvenient for viewers in the Americas, while Miami games might air in the middle of the night for Asian audiences.
Optimizing Your Streaming Setup
Before the tournament begins, test your streaming setup. Download the necessary apps for your chosen streaming service and ensure they’re updated to the latest version. If you’re planning to use a VPN, install and configure it ahead of time rather than waiting until game day.
Connection quality makes an enormous difference in your viewing experience. Hotel and public Wi-Fi are notoriously slow and congested, especially during peak hours—exactly when big games are usually played. This leads to endless buffering and poor-quality video. Whenever possible, use a wired ethernet connection or ensure you have a strong cellular data signal if streaming on mobile devices.
Le VPN’s extensive network of servers in over 100 locations worldwide provides flexibility for accessing different regional broadcasts. With servers in Japan, multiple United States locations including Miami and Houston, and Puerto Rico, fans can connect to the specific region hosting the games they want to watch.
Managing Time Zones and Schedules
The World Baseball Classic’s international nature means games occur around the clock. Pool C games in Tokyo begin March 4, while the other pools start March 6. The semifinals are scheduled for March 15 and 16, and the World Championship Final will be played on Tuesday, March 17.
For fans who can’t watch games live, many streaming services offer on-demand replays. However, geo-restrictions often apply to recorded content just as they do to live streams. Maintaining your VPN connection when accessing replays ensures you can catch up on games you missed without encountering access barriers.
Device Compatibility and Multi-Platform Viewing
Modern sports fans watch games on various devices—smartphones during commutes, tablets in hotel rooms, laptops at work, and smart TVs at home. Ensuring your streaming solution works across all your devices enhances flexibility and guarantees you won’t miss important games due to technical limitations.
Le VPN supports multiple devices and operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. This cross-platform compatibility means you can start watching a game on your phone during your morning commute, continue on your laptop at lunch, and finish on your home television in the evening, all while maintaining the same secure, geo-unrestricted connection.
The service’s multiprotocol support, including Wireguard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP, provides options for optimizing performance based on your specific device and network conditions. Some protocols prioritize speed for streaming, while others emphasize security for public networks.
Privacy and Security While Streaming
Beyond simply accessing geo-restricted content, protecting your online privacy while streaming deserves attention. Streaming services, advertisers, and even malicious actors can track your viewing habits, collect data about your preferences, and potentially compromise your personal information.
With rising concerns about online surveillance, VPNs are your armor against prying eyes. They encrypt your digital activities, ensuring they remain invisible to employers, governments, and your ISP. This encryption becomes particularly valuable when streaming on unsecured networks or when traveling in countries with strict internet monitoring.
Le VPN’s threat protection feature guards against trackers, phishing attempts, and malware that might be encountered while browsing streaming sites or clicking on links to game highlights and analysis. The service also includes a data breach scanner that checks if your email-associated data has been leaked, providing an additional layer of security for your online identity. If you’re considering using free VPNs, it’s worth noting that free VPNs pose risks with data breaches, malware, and poor security.
Planning Your World Baseball Classic Experience
With the tournament approaching, now is the time to finalize your viewing plans. Consider which teams you want to follow most closely—will you watch every game, or focus on specific matchups and elimination rounds?
The top two teams in each pool will advance to the quarterfinals in Houston and Miami on March 13 and 14. The knockout stage intensifies the competition, and the semifinals and finals will be held in Miami beginning on March 15. These elimination games typically draw the largest audiences and feature the most dramatic moments.
For fans planning to watch multiple games, Le VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee provides a risk-free opportunity to test the service during the tournament. This allows you to ensure the connection quality meets your needs for live sports streaming before committing long-term.
Making the Most of International Coverage
Different broadcasters offer varying perspectives on the tournament. Japanese coverage naturally emphasizes Team Japan’s journey and provides in-depth analysis of Nippon Professional Baseball players. American broadcasts focus on MLB stars representing various countries. Puerto Rican coverage brings passionate local commentary for their home games.
Having the flexibility to switch between different regional broadcasts enriches your understanding of the tournament and lets you experience how baseball’s global community celebrates the sport differently. A VPN with servers in multiple countries makes this exploration possible.
The Growing Global Baseball Community
The World Baseball Classic represents more than just a tournament—it’s a celebration of baseball’s international growth and the sport’s ability to unite fans across cultural and geographic boundaries. In 2023, Samurai Japan put on a dominant performance en route to their third World Baseball Classic victory. In thrilling fashion, Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout of Team USA for the final out of the championship game.
That iconic moment captivated audiences worldwide, demonstrating baseball’s power to create shared experiences across continents. The 2026 tournament promises similar drama, with the United States having significantly better players, especially pitchers, than previous editions. Some have compared the 2026 United States team to the Avengers super-heroes or the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, known as the “Dream Team”.
As the tournament approaches, fans everywhere are preparing to witness baseball’s best compete on the international stage. Whether you’re cheering for the defending champions from Japan, the star-studded American roster, Puerto Rico’s home team, or one of the other 17 nations, ensuring you can access every game regardless of your location makes the experience complete.
The combination of proper preparation, reliable streaming technology, and secure internet connections transforms the challenge of watching an international tournament into an opportunity to fully immerse yourself in baseball’s global celebration. With the right tools and setup, no geographic boundary needs to stand between you and the games that matter most.
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