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Who does Team USA play next? Explaining 2026 WBC bracket opponent for semifinals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For the third time in a month’s span, Team USA has eliminated Canada in an international best-on-best tournament.
Just weeks after winning Olympic gold in both men’s and women’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Games, the United States and Canada met once again in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals on Friday night. Once again, it was the Americans who came out victorious. Behined an impressive start from Logan Webb, Team USA defeated Canada 5–3, advancing to the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
Team USA will now fly to Miami, where the World Baseball Classic semifinals and finals will be played at loanDepot Park. As they search for their second title ever, the stakes are only going to get higher for Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Co. But for the semifinals, there are rumblings that the U.S. will have its best pitcher on the mound.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC HQ:Live scores | Updated standings | Full TV schedule
The rotation has lined up perfectly for Paul Skenes to take the ball on Sunday night. The 2025 NL Cy Young winner has been the most anticipated arm in the tournament, and after a dominant pool play outing against Mexico, the flamethrower is rested and ready for the biggest start of his young international career.
Though, the opponent is not an easy one. In fact, it will be Team USA's hardest test yet. The Americans are on a collision course with a Dominican Republic squad that has looked nearly invincible, fueled by the power of Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Here's more on who Team USA will play in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.
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Who does Team USA play next?
Next up for Team USA is a rematch of the 2017 World Baseball Classic semifinals, where it will face the high-octane Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic has been the undisputed juggernaut of the tournament, marching into the semifinals with a perfect 5-0 record. After steamrolling through Pool D, the D.R. punched its ticket to the final four on Friday night with a commanding victory over Korea. Led by manager Albert Pujols, the Dominican "Avengers" have lived up to the hype, belting a tournament-high 13 home runs during pool play alone.
The matchup sets the stage for a legendary clash of strengths: the United States is expected to start Paul Skenes and his triple-digit fastball to counter a Dominican lineup featuring Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr.—all of whom have already gone deep multiple times in this Classic. With a spot in the championship game on the line, the baseball world will be centered on Miami this Sunday night.
While the game is technically on American soil, Team USA will likely feel like the road team on Sunday night. LoanDepot Park has essentially served as the Dominican Republic’s home away from home this March. Miami’s massive Dominican population and a raucous, drum-beating fanbase have turned the stadium into a sea of blue, red, and white, creating a party every time a ball leaves the park. For Paul Skenes and the Americans, the challenge isn't just silencing the bats of Soto and Tatis—it's silencing a crowd that makes Miami feel like Santo Domingo.
MORE: Full box score from United States vs. Canada
How does the World Baseball Classic bracket work?
For the quarterfinals, the eight advancing teams are paired by their final pool standings, with the winner of one pool facing the runner-up of another. These high-stakes matchups are split between Daikin Park in Houston and loanDepot Park in Miami. The Houston site hosts the North American clash between the USA and Canada along with Italy vs. Puerto Rico, while the Miami site hosts the international showdowns of Dominican Republic vs. Korea and Japan vs. Venezuela.
Once the quarterfinals conclude, the tournament shifts entirely to Miami for the final rounds. During the Semifinals on March 15 and 16, the four surviving teams meet in winner-take-all matchups at loanDepot Park. For the first time, there is no re-seeding, as the bracket determines the path to the end. This culminates in the Championship on March 17, where the two semifinal winners face off in a single game to crown the world champion.
World Baseball Classic bracket 2026
March 13: Quarterfinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Arena |
QF1 ominican Republic 10. South Korea 0 | FINAL | loanDepot park (Miami) |
| QF2:United States 5, Canada 3 | FINAL | Daikin Park (Houston) |
March 14: Quarterfinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Arena |
| QF3: Puerto Rico vs. Italy | 3:00 p.m. | Daikin Park (Houston) |
| QF4: Venezuela vs. Japan | 9:00 p.m. | loanDepot park (Miami) |
March 15: Semifinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Dominican Republic vs. USA | 8:00 p.m. | loanDepot park (Miami) |
March 16: Semifinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4 | 8:00 p.m. | loanDepot park (Miami) |
March 17: Championship
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Arena |
| World Baseball Classic Final | 8:00 p.m. | loanDepot park (Miami) |
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