World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Regensburg, Germany commences on Friday

World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Regensburg, Germany commences on Friday
15/09/2022
The focus from international baseball will be on Regensburg, Germany from September 16 to 21, as one of just two World Baseball Classic Qualifiers will take place at the beautiful Armin-Wolf-Baseball-Arena. Host Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Czech Republic, France and South Africa are competing for two spots in the World Baseball Classic 2023 during these days.

Originally scheduled for March 2020, but postponed due to the pandemic, Major League Baseball has invited the national teams from Germany, Spain, Great Britain, France and South Africa to the ballpark in Regensburg. In a double elimination formatted tournament the six teams hope to clinch an elusive spot in the main event next spring.

On day one on Friday South Africa and Spain open the tournament with the winner facing Czechia on Saturday afternoon. On Friday night Great Britain and France square off to determine Germany’s opponent on Saturday evening. On Sunday the four losers of the first two days hope to avoid elimination. After a rest day on Monday teams will be back on the field on Tuesday and Wednesday with the two spots being played out.

With the rosters being released the teams feature several marquee players on their team. Germany has former Major Leaguers Bruce Maxwell, Aaron Altherr, Nick Wittgren and Brian Flynn on its team. France is managed by legendary Bruce Bochy, who won multiple World Series in Major League Baseball. Michael Roth and Vance Worley with Great Britain as well as Gift Ngoepe with South Africa and Engel Beltre with Spain also have MLB experience on their biography.

The Armin-Wolf-Baseball-Arena, home to the Guggenberger Legionaere Regensburg, is hosting a WBC Qualifier for the second time after 2012. The facility saw major upgrades throughout the last decade with the last steps finished right in time for the WBCQ in 2022. An additional building with renovated first base dugouts and clubhouses as well as upgraded floodlights and a video wall were the finishing touches for one of the premium ballparks in European baseball.

All games of the WBC Qualifier in Regensburg will be broadcasted live through various tv stations in Europe as well as on WBC’s YouTube channel, MLB.com and MLB’s Facebook page. All information about the World Baseball Classic can be found at www.worldbaseballclassic.com.

Photo by Guggenberger Legionaere Regensburg