World Classic: Why did Mexico lose its ticket to the Olympic Games?

Mexico is out of the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic and also loses the possibility of going to the 2028 Olympics

HOUSTON — An elimination that hurts doubly for the Mexican Baseball Team. The resounding defeat suffered tonight against Italy It not only means being left out of the World Baseball Classic 2026but also lose the possibility of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, an edition in which baseball will once again be part of the Olympic program. And it was a great opportunity to change the taste in the mouth left by the Tokyo 2020 edition where Mexico was the worst team in the tournament.

On February 9, the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced the qualification process for the Olympic tournament to be held at Dodger Stadium during the summer of 2028. So far, USA It is the only country classified by its host status. Furthermore, in the current World Baseball Classic Two places are awarded to the two teams from the American continent that advance the furthest in the competition.

Mexico has been left out of that possibility after its elimination in the group stage, at the hands of Italyin it Group B. With this result, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Canada and Puerto Rico They will be the teams that continue in the fight for those two tickets for the 2028 Olympic Games, as they are the teams from the American continent that qualified for the quarterfinals.

The three remaining tickets for Los Angeles 2028 will also not be available to Mexico due to the regulations established by the Confederation. The Premier 12 tournament, scheduled to be played in 2027 and where Mexico will be participating, it will award two places: one for the Asian team with the best performance and another for the best positioned team in Europe or Oceania. Although Mexico is crowned in said tournament, under the classification statutes, there is no opportunity for him to qualify.

The last Olympic quota will be defined in a qualifying tournament that will take place before March 2028. However, the participation of teams from the American continent is not contemplated for this competition. The participating teams will be two Asian teams, two European teams, one African team and one from Oceania. This being the third option and there is no option either. Mexico can enter the conversation of the 2028 Olympic Games.