The schedule for the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Group A has been announced. There will be 19 games and all games will be from 12-16 June. There will be 19 games and all eyes will be on the opening game in Hermosillo, Mexico. It will pit world number one and reigning champions Australia against Venezuela, ranked 7th.

Two stadiums have been chosen to host the tournament: the Fernando Ortiz Stadium and the Mundialistas Hermosillenses Stadium. The schedule for Group A was confirmed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) on Wednesday. 

Host Mexico, ranked ninth in the world, will begin their campaign against the Czech Republic, ranked fifth, at the Fernando Ortiz Stadium at 8pm local time, immediately after the opening ceremony scheduled for 7pm.

Meanwhile, 14th-placed Philippines and 20th-placed Dominican Republic will meet at 4pm at the recently renovated Mundialistas Hermosillenses stadium.

A colourful and attractive format has been put in place to keep fans on the edge of their seats. From 13 to 15 June, four matches will be played each day, split between the two stadiums. This will complete the group's opening round, with each team playing a double-header.

Matches at the Fernando Ortiz Stadium are scheduled to kick off at 5pm and 8pm, while those played at the Mundialistas Hermosillenses are scheduled to start at 6pm and 9pm. Efforts have been made to avoid overlapping schedules so that fans who wish to follow all the matches can do so. The XVIII WBSC Men's Softball World Cup is the first Men's Softball World Cup played under the new two-round system. 

A total of 18 teams have been divided into three groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the finals. The finals will be held in Prince Albert, Canada in 2025.

The format is new. Each group will play a four-day, 15-game round robin. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The top two teams in each group will play each other for a place in the final. The loser of the first play-off match will then play the winner of the match between the third and fourth placed teams for the second place in the final. The Group A play-offs will take place on 16 June.

The schedule for Groups B and C will be announced at a later date. From 10 to 14 July, Group B will be held in Prince Albert, Canada. Group C will be played in Oklahoma City, USA from 17-21 September. Australia are the defending champions. They will win their second World Cup in 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand. They defeated Canada 5-2 in the World Cup final. The United States took bronze.

New Zealand have won the most titles with seven. They are followed by the USA with five. Canada has won four. Australia, the current champions, have won twice. Argentina won in 2019. It was the first time a Spanish-speaking team had won the competition.