Rockford, Illinois, Chosen to Host 2027 Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals

The International Women’s Baseball Center in Rockford, Illinois, has been chosen to host the World Baseball Softball Confederation‘s Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals in the summer of 2027. GoRockford is the U.S. presenting sponsor of the event, which will take place from July 19–25, 2027,  at Rivets Stadium in neighboring Loves Park, Illinois.

The Women’s Baseball World Cup features the world’s best players from countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico and more. It debuted in 2004, with the Finals taking place in Edmonton and was won by the United States, which also won in 2006. Starting in 2008, Japan won the bi-annual event six straight times. The 2020 edition was canceled due to COVID-19, and when the World Cup resumed in 2024, Japan won for the seventh straight time.

Rockford, known as the Cradle of Women’s Baseball, will host a group stage this July in advance of next year’s Finals. The first and only time to date a U.S. city hosted the Finals came in 2018, when Viera, Florida, did so.

“The IWBC is excited to welcome the 2027 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals,” said Dr. Kat Williams, CEO of the IWBC. “It is an honor to host the best of women’s baseball in Rockford during the summer of 2026 for the Group Stage and in 2027, when the world champions of women’s baseball will be crowned here.”

“We are thrilled to award the 2027 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals to Rockford and to continue our partnership with the International Women’s Baseball Center,” said WBSC president Riccardo Fraccari. “Rockford has consistently demonstrated an outstanding commitment to women’s baseball, and following the Group Stage in 2026, returning for the Finals in 2027 is a testament to the city’s world-class facilities, welcoming community, and deep baseball heritage. The 10th edition of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup promises to be a milestone celebration of excellence, growth, and opportunity for women and girls in baseball worldwide.”
SportsTravel Archives: Women’s Baseball Finds a Home in Rockford

Baseball History in Rockford

Rivets Stadium is the home of the Rockford Rivets of the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer league. It opened in 2006 and has a seating capacity of 3,279.
Rockford was the home of the famed Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that was immortalized in the 1992 movie, “A League of Their Own.”

“Rockford has a reputation as one of the nation’s most dynamic sports destinations, and hosting the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals in 2027 is a powerful affirmation of that strength. Our community continues to deliver world-class facilities, exceptional hospitality, and an unwavering commitment to athletes at every level. Welcoming the world’s best to compete here in the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup showcases not only our deep baseball heritage, but also the momentum and ambition that define Rockford today,” said John Groh, GoRockford president/CEO.

Of the 12 teams that will take part in the group stage, nine have already qualified: Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Venezuela and the United States. The top two teams in each group and two wild cards will advance to the six-team Finals.