After the 2023 World Baseball Classic left fans with the indelible image of Shohei Ohtani striking out then-teammate Mike Trout to seal Japan’s title, the tournament returns this week with an abundance of star power spread across the 20-team field.

The success of that WBC just three springs ago offered a glimpse of what the event can be at its best and drew a new level of interest and player participation in the build-up to 2026. And with that comes a fresh batch of storylines set to unfold over the next week of round-robin play, as the top two countries from each of four pools look to advance to the knockout rounds.

If history has taught us anything about the Classic, it’s that the sport’s traditional powers will largely live up to the hype that comes with their stacked rosters, but that there’s always room for a surprise country or two to crash the party on the road to the final.

So, as we approach the tournament opener between Australia and Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, here is a closer look at what to expect from each group in the pool stage.

All games can be seen on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+.

Teams: Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico

Location: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The big question: In a separate pool from the Americans for the first time in WBC history, can Canada capitalize on a wide-open group and advance to the quarterfinals?

The pulse: Boasting a roster primarily built with major-league talent, Canada is staring down an opportunity to advance past the opening round of the tournament for the first time. Even without having to navigate a round-robin meeting with Team USA this year, things aren’t going to come easy for the Canucks in San Juan.

Pool A is perhaps the most even of the four groups in this year’s WBC — even with a weakened Puerto Rico squad. 

Puerto Rico has never failed to advance from the first round of the five Classics to date, and although it may be missing the likes of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Báez, there’s no shortage of big-leaguers set to represent La Isla del Encanto on home soil.

Beyond the hosts, Colombia, Cuba and Panama each present distinct challenges. 

While Colombia and Panama profile as wild cards with young, improving rosters, Cuba, in particular, figures to be a tough out. After a semifinal run in 2023, the Cubans feature a roster that has been there, done that in the WBC and several arms with strong overseas résumés in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

The separator: If Canada is to advance, its offence will likely be the driving force. Led by captain Josh Naylor, the Canucks will roll out an order of impact bats, including veterans Tyler O’Neill and Bo Naylor, and rising outfielders such as Owen Caissie and Denzel Clarke.

It’s a collection of talent that the rest of Pool A could struggle to match up with, and one capable of making Canadian baseball history if everything falls into place for the red and white.

Teams: Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, United States

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas

The big question: After falling to Japan in the 2023 final, Team USA and manager Mark DeRosa went star-hunting, adding an MVP in Aaron Judge and Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, among others. So it’s hard not to see the Americans finding a way through to the knockout round, which makes the real question: Who joins them in the quarterfinals?

The pulse: If you look past the U.S. in Pool B, you don’t have to squint to see the makings of a pair of sleepers in this tournament.

Mexico was arguably the story of the 2023 WBC before the epic finale between Japan and the USA. Randy Arozarena — who is back for more in 2026 — led Mexico to the top of its pool and on a surprise run to the semifinals in the last edition of the Classic, where it fell to the eventual-champion Samurai Japan on Munetaka Murakami’s walk-off double. 

This year, Mexico is set to benefit from the return of all-star catcher Alejandro Kirk and the breakout of infielder Jonathan Aranda, who took just six at-bats in 2023. Mexico will hope those offensive gains offset the loss of some pitching depth.

Mexico isn’t the only looming upstart coming off a knockout-round appearance in Pool B, however. 

Team Italy is set to take the field in Houston as a popular under-the-radar pick to advance. The Italians, who lost to Japan in the 2023 quarterfinals, built on their strong showing by hitting the recruiting trail, welcoming notable names in veteran right-handers Aaron Nola and Adam Ottavino, and recent top draft picks Kyle Teel, Andrew Fischer, Jac Caglianone and Dante Nori.

Rounding out the group are Brazil and Great Britain, which likely won’t have the high-level talent to finish in the top two. Both have some exciting names set to take the field, though, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Harry Ford serving as co-captains for Great Britain, and legacy players Dante Bichette Jr. (Dante’s son) and Lucas Ramirez (Manny’s son) in Brazil’s lineup.

The separator: With all-stars at nearly every position, Team USA is the clear favourite in this group and maybe the entire tournament. But when looking at the remainder of the field in Pool B, Italy’s youth feels like it could be a deciding factor in whether it can unseat Mexico in the WBC’s final eight.

If Italy can get the best from its group of talented prospects, it may have the goods to overcome a Mexican team with designs on taking the next step this March.

Teams: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Japan, Korea

Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan

The big question: After knocking off Japan for gold at the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, can Chinese Taipei ride that momentum into a WBC quarterfinal for the first time?

The pulse: Samurai Japan is the heavy favourite in Pool C — it always has been during round-robin play at home. In the previous five WBC tournaments, Japan has never finished worse than third and won the whole thing in 2006, 2009 and 2023.

Suffice to say, it would be nothing less than a disaster if Shohei Ohtani and Co. didn’t handle business in Pool C.

But stranger things have happened.

Take, for example, Chinese Taipei snapping Japan’s 27-game international winning streak in the final of the Premier12 tournament to claim gold. It marked a major win for baseball in Taiwan and showcased the significant strides the country has taken on the diamond.

Chinese Taipei will look to turn its fortunes in 2026, as it has participated in all five World Baseball Classics, but has never advanced past the first round. Following its Premier12 victory, the Taiwanese roster brings a burst of young talent, which includes more players on MLB Pipeline’s organizational top 30 rankings than any other country in the tournament.

Clinching a spot in the quarterfinals won’t be easy, however. Korea is always a threat to make noise in the WBC, and with 2024 KBO MVP Do-Yoeng Kim and San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee in the lineup, it will be in the mix to advance.

Australia also appears improved in 2026, slotting 2024 MLB first-overall pick Travis Bazzana into a lineup full of returners that went 3-1 in the 2023 round-robin and advanced from the Tokyo pool.

Finally, Czechia returns to the WBC after capturing fans’ imaginations with its 2023 appearance, when it beat China and Ondrej Satoria struck out Ohtani. But the Czechs might have a harder time finding a win in a stronger pool in 2026.

The separator: Japan will have a different look during this year’s Classic, with all of Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Yu Darvish not taking the mound, but it should have enough in the way of arm talent to position itself comfortably for the knockout stage.

Chinese Taipei might have the most well-rounded roster of the remaining Pool C teams. That should allow it to take advantage of a Korean pitching staff with several question marks and an Australian team that will be relying heavily on Bazzana to make a difference.

Teams: Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela

Location: loanDepot Park, Miami, Fla.

The big question: Following a disappointing showing in 2023, when it failed to advance from the first round, how does the Dominican Republic respond this time around?

The pulse: WBC champs in 2013, the Dominican Republic hasn’t been able to recapture that magic in the past two events.

The result in 2026? Easily one of the strongest teams in the tournament, with a lineup chock-full of all-stars and MVP candidates. Dominican manager Albert Pujols will get to insert Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Junior Caminero, Geraldo Perdomo and Oneil Cruz into an order returning Manny Machado, Julio Rodríguez and Juan Soto, creating a lineup that even the most ambitious MLB: The Show GM would struggle to replicate.

In addition to a bolstered lineup, the Dominicans should feature some improved starting pitching, too, with Cristopher Sánchez, Brayan Bello and Luis Severino joining the fold alongside Sandy Alcántara.

Venezuela, meanwhile, will once again boast one of the WBC’s most well-rounded rosters. It might not have the firepower of the Dominican or the U.S., but with headliners Ronald Acuña Jr. and Jackson Chourio, it could certainly repeat its 2023 performance and run the table in round-robin play.

Israel and the Netherlands are both looking to bounce back from tough showings in 2023 — neither advanced out of their pools after doing so in 2017 — and bring rosters capable of delivering an upset or two.

Nicaragua closes out the group, but could be one of the feel-good stories of this year’s Classic, with Dusty Baker managing and Mark Vientos signing up to provide some pop in the heart of the order as it searches for its first WBC win.

The separator: Pool D might be the group with the most defined top two. Both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela bring lineups with solid MLB contributors from one through nine to Miami, and both have the depth in the rotation and bullpen to make deep runs in the tournament.

It’s that blend that separates the two powerhouse nations in the group. But if there is a unit in the pool that could cause chaos, it might just be the Dutch bats. Led by Xander Bogaerts, Ozzie Albies and Jurickson Profar, the Netherlands’ lineup has the ability and track record to make life tough on some of the WBC’s top arms.