WBSC/KONAMI Men's Softball World Ranking: Argentina regain No. 1, race to The World Games 2025 intensifies
Argentina regained the top spot in the WBSC/KONAMI Men's Softball World Ranking almost six months after losing pole position last November following the latest update to the ranking. The South Americans climbed three places - overcoming No. 2 Australia, No. 3 Canada and No. 4 Japan - to become again the best men's softball programme in the world with 2,606 points.
Japan, Australia and No. 6 Czechia - the three medallists from the WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020 - were the most affected nations by the expiration of the tournament points played in February 2020, losing 920, 735 and 669 points respectively.
In addition, teams from Africa and the Americas added points from their respective continental events, including Argentina, which earned 375 after winning the Pan American Championship in April.
No. 5 Venezuela and No. 8 Cuba gained two places in the top-10, while No. 28 Panama and No. 33 Costa Rica were the top climbers in the ranking, moving up seven positions each. Lesotho, which last appeared in the ranking in December 2022, returned to the ranking in 43rd position, with six points.
Race to The World Games 2025
Considering the WBSC/KONAMI World Rankings are based on a four-year time cycle and with no points left in the ranking from the Covid-affected 2020 season, the teams will only add points during 2024, intensifying the fight for one of the six spots at The World Games Chengdu 2025. The top six teams in the WBSC/KONAMI Men's Softball World Ranking at 31 December 2024 will earn a berth at The World Games.
With Argentina, Australia, Canada and Japan looking settled in the top four, the battle for the last two spots at The World Games appears to be between Venezuela (2,018 points), Czechia (sixth with 1,808) and No. 7 USA, only 27 points behind the European champions. All of them will take part in the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup group stage, which is shaping up to be critical in deciding the last tickets to Chengdu 2025. Venezuela and Czechia will face each other in Group A (from 12-16 June in Hermosillo, Mexico), while USA will host Group C in Oklahoma City, from 17 to 21 September.
The next update of the WBSC/KONAMI Men's Softball World Ranking will be released after the completion of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup group stage, at the end of September.