Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The victory gave Venezuela its first WBC championship.[1]

The final was held at the Miami Marlins' stadium, which hosted the 2023 WBC final won by Japan. The 2026 tournament ran from March 5 to 17.[1]

Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 2-2 for the United States. Eugenio Suarez then doubled to left-center, driving in the go-ahead run for Venezuela.

Daniel Palencia struck out Roman Anthony to end the game and secure the win. Players from Venezuela celebrated on the field with their gold medals.

Venezuela's first title came after bronze-medal finishes in 2009 and 2017. The team was managed by Omar López, with Maikel Garcia named tournament MVP.[2]

The United States, WBC winners in 2017, finished as runners-up for the second straight tournament after a 3-2 loss to Japan in the 2023 final.[3]

Salvador Perez, a catcher for the Kansas City Royals and veteran of Venezuela's WBC teams, highlighted the national significance of the achievement.[2]

Sources

1. MLB.com
   World Baseball Classic 2026 dates, venues announced
   29 August 2023
   https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-dates-venues-announced
2. Wikipedia
   Venezuela national baseball team
   Accessed October 2024
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela_national_baseball_team
3. MLB.com
   Japan repeats as World Baseball Classic champions
   22 March 2023
   https://www.mlb.com/news/japan-repeats-as-world-baseball-classic-champions