Asia have been granted the final wildcard for the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup, which is due to be held in a new two-stage format in 2023 and 2024 ©WBSC

Asia has been granted the final wildcard for the new two-stage Women’s Softball World Cup, it has been announced.

The announcement by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) means that the continent will have four representatives amongst the 18 finalists when the group phase begins in July.

The top three nations in the Women’s Softball Asia Cup being held this week in Incheon in South Korea and the wildcard will join 14 teams in the group stages of the World Cup competition set to take place in three separate countries.

Asia 3 are set to play in Group A scheduled to begin on July 15  in Dublin.

They will join host nation Ireland, Australia, Botswana, Great Britain and the United States.

The top three nations at this year's Women’s Softball Asia Cup, currently taking place in Incheon, will qualify for the World Cup, along with a wildcard from the continent ©WBSC
The top three nations at this year's Women’s Softball Asia Cup, currently taking place in Incheon, will qualify for the World Cup, along with a wildcard from the continent ©WBSC

Asia 2 are due to hed to Valencia in Spain for a group beginning on July 18. 

This again includes the host nation along with Cuba, Netherlands, Puerto Rico and South Africa.

Asia 1and the recipient of the Asian wildcard are both scheduled to travel to Buttrio and Castions di Strada in Italy.

They will be joined by their hosts and Canada, New Zealand and  Venezuela, in a group set to begin on July 22.

The United States lifted the last WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup when they defeated the hosts Japan 7-6 in the final in Chiba in 2018 ©WBSC
The United States lifted the last WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup when they defeated the hosts Japan 7-6 in the final in Chiba in 2018 ©WBSC

The top two teams from each group and two wild cards, will advance to the World Cup finals scheduled for next year in Italy.

The last World Cup took place in 2018 when the United States lifted the trophy defeating host nation Japan 7-6 in the final in Chiba.

But Japan got their revenge three years later at the re-arranged Olympic Games in Tokyo when they beat the US 2-0 to claim the gold medal.

Softball is not on the programme for Paris 2024, but is among the nine sports bidding for a spot at Los Angeles 2028.