US advances to World Baseball Classic quarterfinals

Team USA secures spot after getting help from Italy

Published on Mar. 12, 2026

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The United States national baseball team has qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, doing so a day later than originally expected. The team's advancement was aided by Italy's victory over Colombia, which helped the US secure its spot in the next round of the tournament.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball tournament that features the best players from around the world. Advancing to the quarterfinals is an important milestone for Team USA as they look to win their first WBC title since the inaugural tournament in 2006.

The details

The US team clinched its spot in the quarterfinals after Italy defeated Colombia 6-3 on March 11th. This result, combined with the US's own 8-7 victory over Colombia the previous day, was enough to see the Americans through to the next round. The US team had originally expected to qualify a day earlier, but had to wait an extra day due to the outcome of the Italy-Colombia game.

  • The US team qualified for the quarterfinals on March 11, 2026.
  • The US defeated Colombia 8-7 on March 10, 2026.

The players

United States national baseball team

The national baseball team representing the United States, one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Italy national baseball team

The national baseball team representing Italy, whose victory over Colombia on March 11th helped the US advance to the quarterfinals.

Colombia national baseball team

The national baseball team representing Colombia, who were defeated by both the US and Italy in the group stage.

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What’s next

The US team will now face the winner of Pool D in the quarterfinals, which will be played on March 15th.

The takeaway

Team USA's advancement to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic is an important step in their quest to win their first WBC title in 20 years. The help from Italy's victory over Colombia proved crucial in securing their spot in the next round of the prestigious international tournament.