HOUSTON, Texas – Major League Baseball has announced Houston has been selected as one of the host cities for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). It will be the first time the Texas city will host the international baseball event.
“We are thrilled for Houston to have been chosen to host the World Baseball Classic,” says J. Kent Friedman, Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA) chairman of the board. “When coupled with the FIFA World Cup, 2026 will demonstrate once again why Houston is one of the great sports cities not just in the United States, but in the world. The thousands of fans that will be here for the WBC to cheer on their favorite country will have an incredible economic impact on the area, and the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority is very pleased to welcome all of them to Minute Maid Park.”
The Houston Astros, HCHSA, and Houston First Corporation have been partners throughout the selection process. Houston is one of four cities that are playing host alongside Tokyo, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Fla. Minute Maid Park will be the ninth major league ballpark to host the event, which started back in 2006.
According to a press release, local officials believe the WBC will also have a significant economic impact on the city, especially the downtown area, which will see a great number of fans from across the world come to watch their country play.
