Will Korea Outperform Japan and Taiwan for 2028 LA Olympics Baseball? Key Qualification Insights

Two spots will be secured by the top American teams (excluding the U.S.) at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) next month.

Two more berths will be awarded at the Premier12 tournament in November next year, with one going to the top Asian team and another to the best-performing European or Oceanian squad.

The final spot will be determined through a last-chance qualifier in March 2028, featuring six teams: the top two from both Asian and European Championships, and the winners of the African and Oceanian Championships.

For South Korea to directly qualify for the LA Olympics, they must outperform regional rivals Japan and Taiwan in the 2027 Premier12.

South Korea’s track record includes winning the 2015 Premier12 and finishing second in 2019. However, their early exit in the 2024 tournament after losses to Japan and Taiwan has raised concerns about their competitiveness in the Asian baseball landscape.

The 2028 LA Olympic baseball games will be held at Dodger Stadium. The tournament kicks off on July 13, a day before the opening ceremony, with the gold medal game set for July 19.

[Sports Today, Shin Seo-young

Failing that, they’ll need to navigate the Asian Championships and the final qualifier, likely facing tough competition from Japan or Taiwan again. The qualification path has narrowed compared to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Then, Japan auto-qualified as hosts, while South Korea secured their spot as the top Asian team (excluding Japan) in the 2019 Premier12. For 2028, even Japan must go through qualifiers.

sports@stoo.com ] The closest and most fun news ⓒ Sports Today