The announcement is a sensational one, immediately drawing attention to how close the next World Baseball Classic is, where Team Italy will take the field in the first stage in Houston, Texas, from March 7, 2026, competing in Pool B along with the United States, Mexico, and Great Britain.

The Italian team will have Ned Colletti, with an Italian heart and an exceptional career behind the desks of top franchises like the Cubs, Giants, and Dodgers, at the operational helm."Ned is above all a friend of Italy," said Italian Baseball Softball Federation (FIBS) President Marco Mazzieri.