MLB fans react to confirmation that next World Baseball Classic will be held in 2026: "Suck it, haters!" "World Series Game 7 every time they play"

Baseball fans around the globe are doing a happy dance as the World Baseball Classic will take place in 2026, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Tuesday.

It will be the first time since the first two WBC tournaments in 2006 and 2009 that there will be a three-year span between competitions. The WBC was to take place every fourth year, as it was in 2013 and 2017.

However, the pandemic forced a postponement of what was to be the 2021 tournament until this year. The collective bargaining agreement reached between the MLB and the players' union included a tentative plan to hold the next WBC in 2026 rather than 2027, and that plan has now been confirmed.

Fans are ecstatic to hear the news, as the 2023 World Baseball Classic has been a thriller with record first-round attendance and large increases in international viewership.

However, it is not known at this time if the WBC will move to a three-year schedule. That will be determined in the next bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' union.

It's looking to be a big year for sports in 2026, as not only is the World Baseball Classic now scheduled to be played, but also soccer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as the Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

However, it is not confirmed that the United States will host the WBC championship, as it has in every tournament to date.

There have been rumors and murmurs that the 2023 World Baseball Classic may be the last tournament of its kind as several notable major league players have gone down to injury during the competition.

However, given the widening interest and increasing success of the tournament, there was always a faint chance that MLB would cancel the WBC out of a state of over-cautiousness.

There is no word yet as to where the hubs will be for the next World Baseball Classic. It is likely the championship round will be played at a major league stadium in the United States. However, Tokyo may have a strong case to host the semifinals and finals at some point either in 2026 or a future date.

Thrilling 2023 World Baseball Classic comes to a close Tuesday night in Miami, Fla.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred speaks with Team USA coach Ken Griffey Jr.

Team Japan takes on Team USA in the WBC championship game for the first time in the history of the tournament. Miami, Fla., will host the game on Tuesday night.

Team USA, the defending WBC champion, is seeking to join Japan as the only two-time back-to-back tournament champions. Japan, which won the first two WBC tournaments in 2007 and 2009, is aiming to become the first three-time WBC champs.