Cuba retain top spot, record 67 programmes in WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking

Cuba maintained its grip on the No. 1 position in the WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking after the Caribbean nation once again delivered another powerful performance in 2025 as the growth of Baseball5 around the world continues to shine with a record 67 National Programmes represented in the ranking at the end of the year. This time last year, there were 53 programmes ranked.

The 2025 end-of-year update includes points from tournaments such as the Southeast Asian Games, where Baseball5 made its debut, and the Baseball5 European Championship 2025 in Lithuania.

Cuba's position at the summit on the ranking was reinforced by a flawless run at the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup in Tepic, Mexico, where Cuba claimed the world title - defending their trophy from 2023 - to secure a significant share of ranking points (1,000) to remain top of the standings on 5,827 points.

The WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup provided a clear snapshot of how the year’s results shaped the rankings. Cuba finished first ahead of Chinese Taipei and Venezuela, building their campaign on consistency across the tournament. That gold medal finish proved decisive in maintaining their overall lead, adding to points already earned across the past four years. See World Ranking methodology here + Appendix.

Behind Cuba, Japan remain second in the world on 4,527 points, with European champions France close behind in third on 4,375. While neither reached the podium at the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup, both nations benefited from regular competition exposure and solid finishes across the 2025 calendar, allowing them to consolidate their places inside the top five.

Chinese Taipei’s silver-medal performance at youth level strengthened their hold on fourth place with 4,149 points, reinforcing their continued presence among the leading programmes.

Tunisia complete the top five on 3,606 points, with their position reflecting continuity rather than a single standout result. Regular participation and competitive performances across regional and global events ensured they remained among the world’s leading nations.

The same WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup also played a key role in reshaping the picture beyond the top tier. Türkiye’s sixth-place finish in the tournament proved a turning point, contributing to their rise into the world’s top 10 at No. 10 with 2,300 points, marking an important milestone for a programme that has steadily grown through youth competition and international exposure.

Several of the year’s biggest movers drew momentum directly from Tepic and the wider 2025 season. Puerto Rico recorded the strongest climb, rising 16 places to No. 30, supported by an 11th-place finish at the Youth World Cup and consistent participation across the calendar. Saudi Arabia followed closely, climbing 15 places to No. 37, reflecting continued progress through increased international competition.

Thailand also made significant gains, climbing 10 places to No. 18 and collecting 740 points during the year. Their rise was highlighted by a historic gold-medal performance at the Southeast Asian Games, a breakthrough moment that translated directly into ranking momentum and underlined the growing strength of the programme at regional level.

Further movement was recorded by Greece, who moved up nine places to No. 26, and Romania, who climbed seven places to No. 15. Romania’s youth squad, in particular, made a strong impression by pushing into the middle of the Youth World Cup standings, while Greece continued to build through consistent results that rewarded long-term programme development.

Editor's note 09.01.2026: There is a change to the original article published on 31 December, 2025 with the number of programmes in the WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking as at 31 December, 2025 now 67 (previously 68) after points allocated to Israel for the European Championship have now been removed (due to their last minute withdrawal from the tournament).