Mexico, USA heading to Houston for World Baseball Classic

Mexico is headed to Minute Maid Park along with Team USA for pool play, giving Houston what should be a tremendous draw during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The home of the Houston Astros landed two of the most popular teams in the next World Baseball Classic.

Team Mexico, which reached the semifinals of the last WBC,  and 2023 WBC runner-up Team USA will be joined by Great Britain, Italy and the winner of a qualifier in Pool B for the 2026 WBC. Those games will be played at MMP from March 6-11, 2026. 

Considering that Latinos make up more than 50 percent of Houston and Harris County, Team Mexico should have a large following at Minute Maid Park.

Mexico at home in Houston

It’s fair to expect Team Mexico to feel like the home team at Minute Maid Park. Mexican fans have traditionally made El Tri appear like the home team when playing in Houston or Texas.

The Mexican national soccer team is always a major draw at Houston’s NRG Stadium or the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Team Mexico should be a similar draw in baseball. Team USA is also a major draw at home. 

Astros righthander Jose Urquidy played for Mexico. A trio of Astros – All-Star Kyle Tucker and relievers Kendall Graveman and Ryan Pressly – played for Team USA in 2023.

Mexico and the U.S. will face each other in pool play on March 9, three days after they open the WBC.

If Mexico and Team USA advance, they’ll stay in Houston for the quarterfinals. Minute Maid Park will host the quarterfinals between Pools A and B.

Cuba heads to Puerto Rico

Pool A will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The host island will be joined by Cuba, Panama, Canada and a winner of a WBC qualifier. Defending champion Samurai Japan will host Pool C games at the Tokyo Dome. 

Japan will be joined by Australia, Czechia, Korea and the winner of a qualifier. Pool C games will be played from Mach 5-10, 2026. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela will anchor the field for Pool D games at Miami’s loanDepot park.

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Israel, the Netherlands and the winner of a qualifier will round out Pool D.

For the second WBC in a row, Miami’s loanDepot park will host all the three rounds. Pools C and D will play their quarterfinals at loanDepot park.

The semifinals will be played at loanDepot park on March 15 and 16. The final will be played on March 17.