Based on attendance and viewership numbers, the 2026 World Baseball Classic was a resounding success, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated as much after the tournament concluded.
“There’s no resemblance to where we started in 2006,” Manfred told the Associated Press on Wednesday. “This one, I feel like it went to a different level. We set an attendance record after the early play. By the time we got into the semis and the final it was all gravy.”
The commissioner wasn’t speaking hyperbolically. This year’s WBC drew 1,619,839 fans, a 24% increase over the previous high set in 2023 and a 119% increase over the first tournament in 2006.
From a viewership standpoint, 7.37 million people tuned in for the semifinal game between the United States and the Dominican Republic, more than the 2023 final. The 2026 final drew more than 10 million viewers, making it the most watched WBC telecast in history, according to Fox Sports.
Could The WBC Move To Midseason?
Manfred also said that the WBC could move to the middle of the MLB season in 2029 or 2030, when the next tournament is likely to be played. That could help boost interest even more, as baseball owns the sports calendar in July and August in most years.
“Obviously we have commitments to Fox in terms of the All-Star Game in the middle of the season through ’28,” Manfred said. “As the game continues to evolve, we have talked about midseason tournaments in general. And certainly if we decided to get serious about this, about a midseason tournament, this would be an ideal opportunity.”
A midseason tournament may also help alleviate the pitching usage problem that the United States and other teams faced this year, making for a true best-on-best event. Countries tried to compete while also catering to the requests of Major League teams and many pitchers, such as Ryan Yarbrough of the New York Yankees and Clay Holmes of the New York Mets, went back to spring training in the middle of the tournament to continue building up for Opening Day. There would likely be less direction from clubs during a tournament in the summer, with pitchers already in midseason form.
MLB Is Now An International Sport
If the success of the 2026 World Baseball Classic reveals anything, it is that baseball has truly become an international game.
MLB’s biggest star, Shohei Ohtani, helped sell out the Tokyo Dome for batting practice before the tournament began, and Italy’s run to the semifinal tapped into a European market that previously had more interest in soccer. Not to mention, Latino fans brought unbelievable energy to Daikin Park in Houston and loanDepot Park in Miami for countries like Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and first-time champion Venezuela.
International competitions have caught fire with more players as well. Bryce Harper said he hopes to see MLB players compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and Aaron Judge called the atmosphere at the WBC “bigger and better” than the World Series.
“The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there’s nothing like it,” Judge said.
Rob Manfred Gives His Take On World Baseball Classic