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WBC 2026 Sets Attendance and TV Records, Fueling Fresh Format and Calendar Proposals

Early revenue estimates near $225 million underline new commercial momentum.

Overview

  • Venezuela beat Team USA 3-2 in the final, which drew 10.784 million viewers on FOX and FOX Deportes for the most-watched WBC telecast on any network.
  • The tournament drew 1,619,839 fans across 47 games, up roughly 24% from 2023, as average English-language viewership on FOX networks rose 156% year over year.
  • Forbes reported preliminary revenues of about $225–$230 million, more than double 2023’s total, while Major League Baseball declined to comment on the estimate.
  • Forbes also reported a roughly $100 million streaming deal with Netflix for Japan alongside an expanded slate of global media and sponsorship partners.
  • New proposals surfaced to reshape the event, including an MLB.com blueprint for hybrid double elimination with best-of-three Super Regionals and a Deadspin-highlighted push to stage knockout rounds around early April, with no formal changes adopted yet.