The United States defeated the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic semifinal on March 15, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, advancing to the final.[1][2]
FOX Sports reported on Tuesday that the game drew 7,369,000 viewers across FS1 and FOX Deportes, becoming the most-watched WBC telecast on any network. The FS1 broadcast alone had 6,864,000 viewers, FS1's highest since 2019 and its ninth most-watched ever.[3]
The semifinal aired opposite the Academy Awards, which FOX Sports said drew 17.9 million viewers, down 9% from 2025 and the fewest since 2022.
Roman Anthony and Gunnar Henderson of the United States hit home runs in the high-stakes contest, which ended on a controversial strike three call against Dominican Republic's Geraldo Perdomo in the ninth inning.[1][3]
Henderson, a shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles who earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2023, has been a key performer for Team USA.[4]
Perdomo plays shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks.[5]
In the final, Venezuela beat the United States for its first World Baseball Classic title, according to FOX Sports. Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivered the go-ahead RBI in the top of the ninth after Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a two-run homer to tie the game in the eighth.[3]
The 2026 World Baseball Classic, organized by Major League Baseball and the World Baseball Softball Confederation, featured semifinals at loanDepot park, which hosted the 2023 championship round. The park has a seating capacity of 36,742.[1][2][6]
Sources
- MLB.com
2026 World Baseball Classic
Accessed October 2024
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/2026 - WBSC.org
World Baseball Classic 2026
Accessed October 2024
https://www.wbsc.org/en/event/world-baseball-classic-2026 - FOX Sports
World Baseball Classic coverage
Accessed October 2024
https://www.foxsports.com/world-baseball-classic - Baseball-Reference.com
Gunnar Henderson player page
Accessed October 2024
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hendegu01.shtml - Baseball-Reference.com
Geraldo Perdomo player page
Accessed October 2024
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perdoge01.shtml
