Rockford to host 2027 Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals

Rockford will host the World Baseball Softball Confederation Women's Baseball World Cup Finals in July 2027, according to a community announcement.

The event will take place July 19-25 at Rivets Stadium in Loves Park.

Rockford also will host the Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage in July 2026, marking the first time the event will be held in Illinois.

The World Cup is a two-stage championship featuring the world’s best women’s baseball players. Japan has won the last seven World Cups, while Team USA won the first two titles in 2004 and 2006.

“The IWBC is excited to welcome the 2027 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals,” said Kat Williams, CEO of the International Women's Baseball Center. “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, the Cradle of Women’s Baseball!”

Tickets will be available soon

The World Baseball Softball Confederation Women’s Baseball World Cup schedule and ticket packages will be announced soon, according to the announcement.

The International Women's Baseball Center has been working to bring the World Cup Finals to the area.

“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 Riccardo Fraccari, president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation. “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."

Rockford is making improvements

The announcement comes as the International Women's Baseball Center is working on a multi-phase project to renovate Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Park in Rockford. The first phase of the project is expected to be complete next summer and will include a professional-grade natural grass playing surface and other new amenities.

“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," said John Groh, president and CEO of GoRockford. "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.”

This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, [email protected] , with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.​

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford will host women's baseball world tourneys in 2026, 2027