23 national squads will fight for the Title of European Champion in Utrecht, Netherlands, from September 1st to September 7th, 2024. This year's Women's Softball European Championship in Utrecht marks the 24th edition of the premier softball European event.
A total of 97 games will be played across four fields to determine the winner of the title of European Champion.
The opening ceremony will kick off the event on the main field, home of the UVV Softball, at 20:00 on Sunday, September 1st.
The participating teams have been divided into six groups as follows:
Group A: Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland
Group B: Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Ukraine
Group C: Austria, Hungary, Malta, Poland
Group D: Croatia, Finland, Slovakia, Sweden
Group X: Czechia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain
Group Y: Great Britain, Greece, Israel, Italy
The top eight teams from the previous championship have automatically qualified for the second phase of the event, entering into the semifinal pools X and Y.
The remaining teams are divided into four pools – A, B, C, and D – where they will play a single round-robin. The winners of each group will then advance to the semifinal pools X and Y. The semifinal pools X and Y will feature a single round-robin format, determining the teams for the Super Round Z.
The Gold Medal Game between Z1 and Z2 will take place on Saturday, September 7, on the main field, while the Bronze Medal Game between Z3 and Z4 is scheduled for 14:00.
The remaining teams will compete in the Placement Rounds to determine their final standings.
The detailed schedule for the Women's Softball European Championship 2024 can be found on the official WBSC Europe website.
Tickets for this event will be available for purchase starting May 1st.
Traditionally, the Women's Softball European Championship has been dominated by either Italy or the Netherlands (link to the past results). The Dutch National Team, reigning champions from the 2022 Championship, will aim to defend their title. Great Britain won the silver medal in 2022, while Italy claimed the bronze medal by defeating the Czech Republic.
Before heading to the Women's Softball European Championship, both Italy and the Netherlands will participate in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals in Castions di Strada, Italy, from July 15th to July 21st, 2024.
Cover photo by Grega Valancic
