The 2026 World Baseball Classic opens in Tokyo with a Pool C matchup that can shape the standings right away: Chinese Taipei vs. Australia at the Tokyo Dome. For fans tracking the bracket from the first pitch, this is one of those opening-night games where the result can echo through the rest of pool play.
Chinese Taipei vs Australia start time and how to watch
The opener is scheduled for Thursday, March 5 at 12:00 p.m. local time in Tokyo, which is March 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET in the United States. Viewers in America can watch on FS1, and viewers in Japan can stream on Netflix.
Official tournament hub for schedules, standings, rosters, and coverage: World Baseball Classic on MLB.com
Probable starters: Jo-Hsi Hsu vs Alexander Wells
Chinese Taipei is expected to hand the ball to Jo-Hsi Hsu, a high-energy right-hander whose profile starts with velocity. Though listed at 5-foot-10, his fastball has been reported in the upper 90s, and he pairs it with a split-finger that helps him miss bats when he gets ahead. In Taiwan’s CPBL, Hsu built a track record of results with a 2.42 ERA across his first four seasons, drawing interest from overseas leagues before choosing a 2026 deal in Japan to keep developing as a starter.
Australia is set to counter with left-hander Alexander Wells, who reached the majors with the Orioles in 2021–22. After injuries stalled momentum and forced a reset, Wells returned to game action with the Sydney Blue Sox beginning in 2024. His most recent season included a strong stretch highlighted by a 5–3 record and a 3.42 ERA, earning him the assignment for the tournament opener. Wells also brings a unique footnote: he is seven minutes older than his twin brother and fellow Australian teammate Lachlan Wells.
Travis Bazzana’s World Baseball Classic debut spotlight
A major search driver around this game is Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, making his World Baseball Classic debut. Bazzana already tasted senior international play at the 2024 Premier12, but the Classic is a different stage, with a larger global spotlight and heavier pressure in every at-bat. For Australia, his presence adds high-end upside and a real headline to a lineup that aims to push beyond simply “being competitive.”
What’s at stake in Pool C
In the World Baseball Classic format, pool play is a round-robin where only two teams advance to the quarterfinals. That structure turns every early result into leverage. The winner in Tokyo takes a meaningful first step toward controlling its path, while the loser immediately shifts into chase mode with fewer margin-for-error innings left.
Recent matchup history: Chinese Taipei has the edge
Chinese Taipei and Australia have not met often on the biggest stages, but the recent memory favors Chinese Taipei. In the 2024 Premier12, Chinese Taipei beat Australia 11–3, with captain Chieh-Hsien Chen crossing the plate three times and a three-run homer delivered by former Guardians prospect Kungkuan Giljegiljaw.
Their prior World Baseball Classic meeting came in 2013, when Chinese Taipei won 4–1 behind a dominant start from former Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, who worked six shutout innings. Australia arrives in 2026 aiming to flip that script at the same venue that has hosted some of the biggest moments in international baseball.
Pool C outlook in Tokyo
Pool C is staged at the Tokyo Dome and features Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Australia, and Czechia. Japan enters as a perennial favorite with star power and tournament pedigree, while the rest of the pool fights for the second advancing slot. That makes the opener feel bigger than a standard first game: it’s an early test of which contender can grab momentum before the schedule tightens.
With a premier venue, high-visibility broadcast windows, and headline names like Bazzana stepping into the spotlight, the Chinese Taipei vs Australia opener doesn’t just start the 2026 World Baseball Classic — it sets the tone for Pool C from the first inning.
