Cuba extend lead at top of WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking; Syria ranked for the first time

After securing their second WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Title in Tepic, Mexico last month, Cuba increased its lead at the top of the WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking from 906 points to 1,300 over second placed Japan, to sit on top with 5,827 points.

In the latest update, which sees points from the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup Nayarit 2025 added to those of the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup Ankara 2023 (two editions of each tournament, which are scheduled every two years, are included in the ranking), the top eight positions remain unchanged while world No. 31 Puerto Rico were the biggest movers gaining 25 positions, and Syria, represented by the WBSC Refugee Team, featured for the first time in a WBSC world ranking.

Japan, who finished seventh in Mexico on their debut appearance in the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup, improved its position in second place, moving from 3,951 points to 4,427 points while France moved up to 4,245 points in third place after collecting 468 points for their ninth place finish in Tepic. The gap, however, to Japan has increased from 174 points to 282 points.

WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup Nayarit 2025 silver medallists Chinese Taipei are the only other programme over 4,000 points with 4,149 in fourth position. Tunisia, Mexico, Venezuela and Lithuania remain in positions fifth to eighth.

The major moves saw Kenya (2,154 points) gain two positions to ninth place while Turkiye (1,772 points) moved up three positions to eleventh place.

Puerto Rico (408) is the most improved programme overall after participating in a WBSC Baseball5 World Cup for the first time. They finished 11th at the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup Nayarit 2025 to collect 360 points, to climb 25 places to 31st position with 408 points.

World No. 41 Syria (198 points), who made their debut in a WBSC World Cup in Tepic, is the only newly ranked Baseball5 programme after this latest update of the WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking, which features 65 programmes across the five Olympic continents.