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Written by Eric Balnar. Photos by Brad Rathbone and Scott Powick (Team Australia Media). Pre-tournament report thanks to Aces Sporting Clubs

When Team Australia arrives in Fuchu this week for its pre-World Baseball Classic training camp, the players will step onto a brand-new synthetic baseball surface.

A fully turfed field now replaces the traditional dirt infield and grass outfield that stood here for decades.

The surface is modern. The facilities refreshed. The training areas upgraded.

It looks new. It feels new. But the stadium itself tells a much older story.

Within walls shaped by generations of local baseball and community pride, Fuchu Citizens Stadium has undergone upgrades worth over approximately approximately ¥1 billion (JPY) the last three years designed not to replace its history, but to strengthen it.

A significant investment – equivalent to about $9,000,000 Australian dollars – has transformed playing conditions while preserving one of the city’s most cherished sporting homes and important cultural centres.

A BIG, COMMUNITY MINDED, AND IMPORTANT INVESTMENT

Over the past three years, Fuchu City has invested heavily in the venue as part of a major redevelopment.

City officials say the goal was to create a stadium where people of all ages, from children to adults, can both watch and play baseball while strengthening community pride and local connection to the facility.

The project included the installation of a synthetic turf field, development of indoor training facilities, and renovation of the second-floor restrooms.

The field was closed from August 2025 until late January 2026, reopening roughly two weeks before Team Australia’s training camp scheduled for February 17 to 28.

The push for redevelopment had been building for several years.

Weather, combined with extremely high field usage, became a major concern, officials explained.

Local baseball organisations, including the Fuchu City Baseball Federation, had long requested a training environment less affected by weather conditions.

“In recent years, Fuchu Citizens Stadium has experienced extremely high usage, exceeding a 99 percent utilisation rate in 2023,” one stadium official said. “Maintaining a natural grass field required a seasonal closure from January to March each year for turf recovery. In addition, rainfall often led to poor field conditions, resulting in suspensions of use and long recovery times before play could resume.”

Above: Rain affected play during the 2024 Premier12 Training Camp. Photo: Scott Powick.

Requests for a synthetic surface were formally submitted in July 2023 by user groups including the Fuchu City Baseball Federation.

“To ensure more stable and continuous use of the stadium for a greater number of citizens, the decision was made to install a synthetic playing surface as part of this redevelopment,” the official added.

The indoor training facility was another major component designed to address both weather limitations and heavy demand.

“These requests intensified following the hosting of an Eastern League official game in 2024 and previous training camps by the Australian national team,” one official explained. “In response, space beneath the stadium stands, previously used for storage and work areas, was repurposed into a new indoor training facility. This allows for flexible training even during inclement weather, improves convenience for users, and makes more effective use of existing stadium space.”

Above: various sections of the stadium now features batting cages and training facilities that remain unimpacted by weather. Photo: Scott Powick. 

Funding for the project was approved by city council as part of Fuchu’s broader vision as a sporting hub.

The city of roughly 260,000 residents proudly brands itself a “Sports Town,” home to elite rugby clubs, a major racecourse, a strong baseball culture, and Olympic and Paralympic training activity.

As Mayor Takano wrote in the city’s official training camp guide:

“Athletes of sports teams based in our city and from our city are succeeding, not only within Japan but also in international events such as the Olympics, Paralympics and the Rugby World Cup. Many adults and children of the city also participate in a wide range of sports.”

At the centre of that sporting life sits Fuchu Citizens Stadium — a stadium owned not by a professional club, but by the community itself, and a home for Fuchu baseball since the 1950s.

“The main purpose of this stadium is to be a place where children can look up to baseball and dream about playing it,” said another stadium official.

There’s a reason it’s called a “Citizen’s Stadium” – it is literally owned by the people.

PERFECT FOR PREPARATION

For Team Australia staff, the new playing surface is more than just an aesthetic upgrade.

It is also a crucial part of tournament preparation, with World Baseball Classic games in Tokyo played on artificial turf.

“The city has done an amazing job,” Australian coach Shayne Watson said. “The new surface will best prepare the guys and replicate what they will be playing on in the Tokyo Dome.”

Above: Turf between the infield and the outfield is similar to turfed stadiums like the Tokyo Dome.

“The surface is clean, new, immaculate and fresh. I am expecting the guys to take advantage of the upgrades to best prepare themselves for the WBC.”

Australia has trained in Fuchu ahead of major tournaments since 2018, and this February marks the fifth official Team Australia camp in the city.

Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams says the relationship has become one of the program’s most important international partnerships.

“This will be our fifth official Team Australia camp in Fuchu City. Mayor Takano and the City of Fuchu could not be more supportive of our team, and our players always feel genuinely welcome when they arrive,” Williams said.

“The support from the local community is incredible, and we’re really looking forward to being in our home away from home.”

CULTURAL CONNECTION

Each visit has strengthened the connection between the team and the city.

Streets are often lined with Australian colours and flags during the camp period, while locals attend open training sessions and exhibition events at the roughly 5,000-seat venue.

According to Shogo Mukoyama, chairman of the All Fuchu Baseball Club, the impact on the community — particularly young players — has been significant.

“By watching the game at Fuchu Field, fans become more familiar and more supportive of Team Australia,” Mukoyama said in an interview at the Premier12.

Photo: Brad Rathbone. One of the main streets of Fuchu.

“The most famous team for Fuchu kids is now Australia. We feel closest to them.”

For stadium management, the redevelopment was never just about international teams. It was about strengthening baseball’s place in the community.

“Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan,” explained a representative of Fuchu Citizens Stadium. “We have many lovers of the sport in Japan and of course in Fuchu. We need a place for our kids to develop their skills at.”

“But this field is for baseball around the world, other organisations and the community. It is a meeting place, it is a place for people to become more skilled, for them to be inspired.”

The ground hosts city teams, federation events, community competitions, the Tokyo Giants Women’s program and international camps, with the gates frequently open for fans to enjoy local baseball.

“By reforming the stadium, we were also aiming to have Fuchu citizens feel more attached to our land,” explained another official. “I hope that by doing so we can contribute to people feeling more proud about Fuchu. When Australian baseball is here, people feel more proud to be here too.”

Just minutes from the ballpark stands Okunitama-jinja Shrine, one of Japan’s oldest, with a history stretching back nearly 1,900 years.

The entrance to the city is lined with historic zelkova trees, said to have originated over 1,000 years ago. Around two hundred of those trees remain today, forming a scenic gateway into Fuchu and standing as one of the city’s most beloved natural symbols.

That connection between heritage, place and community is part of what defines the city today.

Photo: The entrance to a park home to Okunitama-jinja Shrine

Soon, Team Australia will step onto a fresh synthetic field in Fuchu, sharpening their preparation for the world stage in Tokyo.

But long before the first pitch of the World Baseball Classic is thrown, the message here is already clear.

This is more than a training venue, more than a stadium upgrade and more than a stop on the tournament schedule.

It is a place where a city has opened its gates, its community, and its pride to Australian baseball.

And in Fuchu, that welcome matters just as much as the field itself.

Above: Fuchu Citizens Stadium. Photo: Brad Rathbone.

Team Australia will round out their Fuchu pre-World Baseball Classic Training Camp with an exhibition game in front of tens of thousands of fans vs the Yokohama DeNA Baystars.

On February 28 at 1:00PM, the roster present at the Fuchu Training Camp will battle one of the best in Japan. The Baystars won the 2024 Japan Series and are a roster laden with talent.

Australia will play at the famous Yokohama Stadium – a ballpark which fits 34,000 baseball fans. It’s also the venue that hosted the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Team Australia is calling on the ‘Kangaroo Club’ – a Japanese support squad – to cheer us on in person at the game.

TOURNAMENT HUB: All you need to know about Team Australia at the WBC

The Baystars have strong links to Australia. They have sent players to the Australian Baseball League since 2016, including superstars like Shota Imanaga. This year, Baystars players Hayate Nakagawa and Kyosuke Mashiko played for the Brisbane Bandits.

Broadcast details will be made available soon.

Immediately following the game, Australia will fly to Miyazaki where MLB-affiliated players will join the squad in the official World Baseball Classic portion of the event.

Australia will play two further exhibition games vs NPB Clubs. On March 2, they will play the Fukouka Softbank Hawks. On March 3, they will play the famous Tokyo Giants.

Australia begins their tournament vs Chinese Taipei on March 5.

FOR FULL COVERAGE, LINKS TO FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, STORIES AND SCHEDULE PLEASE VISIT THE 2026 WBC HUB AT www.baseball.com.au/wbc

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This roster announcement is presented by Four’N Twenty

Team Australia has unveiled its 30-man roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, assembling a balanced squad blending experience with emerging talent as the green and gold prepare to compete on baseball’s biggest international stage.

The World Baseball Classic is the premier global tournament for the sport, bringing together the world’s top baseball nations in a high-stakes competition. Australia will open tournament play in Tokyo as part of Pool C, where they will face Chinese Taipei (March 5), Czechia (March 6), Japan (March 8) and Korea (March 9).

The top two teams advance to the quarterfinals in Miami.

The tournament begins March 4, with Team Australia aiming to build on a historic 2023 campaign that saw the nation reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

Here are some notes on the roster:

Roster Notes: Continuity and Youth

Seventeen players return from the 2023 World Baseball Classic squad, including nine position players and eight pitchers, providing valuable tournament experience.

Media Guide: Read more about each player  

The roster also signals a strong future for Australian baseball:
– 13 players are aged 26 or under
– 12 players will make their World Baseball Classic debut
– 10 players are set for their senior Team Australia tournament debut
– Five players bring Major League Baseball experience: Curtis Mead, Alexander Wells, Warwick Saupold, Jack O’Loughlin and Aaron Whitefield
– All 30 players have strong ties to Australian Baseball League clubs;
– Seven players are currently affiliated with an MLB or KBO organisation
– Four players — Lachlan Wells, Coen Wynne, Warwick Saupold and Jarryd Dale — have KBO experience

HUB: Follow Team Australia at the World Baseball Classic

For media enquiries, contact Eric Balnar at eric.balnar@baseball.com.au 

TEAM FIRST APPROACH

Team Australia manager David Nilsson has emphasised a team first approach. He believes the roster’s strength lies in collective execution rather than individual star poser.

“I think the strength of the team is it is built around the sum of parts. It’s not about individuals. It’s about having a sum of parts that can execute towards a collective goal and by playing as a team,” Nilsson said.

“For any team to have success in an international baseball tournament, you need to be fundamentally sound pitching and defensively. That will be one of our strong focus. We have great players who we know can succeed.”

Roster versatility was another priority.

“In such a short tournament you want to have some roster flexibility. You don’t know how things will play out so you try to cover as many different unseen happenings,” said Nilsson. “I think that’s really gone into the selection of the position players.”

Nilsson credited a detailed and collaborative evaluation process.

“Every month the selection committee would meet. As it got closer, the meetings became more frequent. The ABL season absolutely influenced decisions. But, we have eyes everywhere. There are people everywhere that contribute to these decisions,” said Nilsson.

High-profile Australian Liam Hendriks has not been named to the 30-man roster but has been included in the designated pitcher pool as a reserve.

The veteran right-hander continues his recovery from a significant injury and is focused on preparing his body to face the best hitters in the world during the 2026 MLB season.

Nilsson said he is excited to see how roster competition develops over the next month.

“My job and my responsibility is to have the best team on the field on March 5. There’s a lot that can happen in the next four weeks,” said Nilsson.

Planning for the roster began well before this announcement.

“It started back in 2023 during the tournament and honestly before. You’re always trying to read guys. You always have your eyes on the future,” Nilsson said. “You follow every level. As you get closer, you narrow it down. It never stops. We’re already looking at 2028 Olympics. The cycle never stops.”

Nilsson will be supported by an experienced and well rounded coaching staff.

Nilsson has been at the helm of the senior men’s team since 2018 and has helped lead Team Australia to consistent results, including a Super Round appearance at the Premier12 (2019), a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal (2023) and seventh place finish at the 2024 Premier12.

Baseball Australia CEO commended Nilsson and his staff for the selection process.

“The opportunity to represent Team Australia at the World Baseball Classic always brings out the best in our playing group,” said Williams. “Final selection decisions are never easy, and the selection panel has done an outstanding job through a lengthy and detailed process. They’ve tackled what is a very difficult task head-on, gathering, considering and weighing information from all sources to select the strongest possible team for the WBC. These are really exciting times ahead.”

WHAT’S NEXT: TRAINING CAMP IN FUCHU

Read more: Fuchu City to host Team Australia pre-tournament camp

23 players on Team Australia will depart to Fuchu City for a two week training camp.

Seven others – Lachlan Wells, Jarryd Dale, Curtis Mead, Travis Bazzana, Max Durrington, Mitch Neunborn and Blake Townsend – will attend their respective professional club’s Spring Training.

Nilsson says the training camp will sharpen their preparation. It’s an important step in ensuring the group is ready for the intensity of international competition.

“Fuchu is about preparation. We need to be as prepared as we can for elite level baseball,” Nilsson said. “The camp is about hard work, and everyone really understanding where they fall in the team, connecting and narrowing down on their roles. There is a large emphasis on process to get better and on game speed.”

SCHEDULE: WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

All times AEDT (Sydney)

– March 5, 2:00PM: Australia vs Chinese Taipei
– March 6, 2:00PM: Australia vs Czechia
– March 8, 9:00PM: Australia vs Japan
– March 9, 9:00PM: Australia vs Korea

All games broadcast in Australia on ESPN / Disney+.

Team Australia will return to their Japanese home in Fuchu City for a pre-tournament training camp ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

From February 16-28, Australia will base themselves at the Tokyo suburb, running daily training sessions, and playing a series of exhibition games at the historic Fuchu City Baseball Field.

Fuchu has become Australia’s “home away from home.” National teams have trained at Fuchu before major international events since 2018.

The full schedule is at the bottom of this article.

This year, Fuchu has upgraded their training facilities including a brand new infield in preparation for Australia’s arrival.

Fuchu City invested $2 million dollars over the past 18 months in upgrading their stadium and facility with Team Australia and the broader local baseball community in mind.

TOURNAMENT HUB: Follow Team Australia at the World Baseball Classic 

“This will be our fifth official Team Australia camp in Fuchu City and we keep going back for a reason,” says Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams. “Mayor Takano and the City of Fuchu could not be more supportive of our team, and our players always feel genuinely welcome when they arrive. The support from the local community is incredible, and we’re really looking forward to getting back to our home away from home as we prepare for an exciting World Baseball Classic campaign.”

In addition to the training, Team Australia will immerse themselves in the local community. The team has organised school visits as well as a clinic for local junior baseballers.

Australian players have often expressed their gratitude to Fuchu, and enjoy exploring the neighbourhood and trying local foods.

“I love it here [in Fuchu],” one player said in an article last tournament. “Everybody is so excited that you are here. They absolutely love baseball. You feel like celebrities and it really feels like home. It also is nice for the returning players to show new people some of their favourite things to do and see.”

On the field, Australia will play exhibition games vs local company teams. The schedule will be confirmed soon and be made available to the public.

The Australian roster will be revealed on Friday 6 February. However, only non-affiliated players will be at the Fuchu camp. Following the pre-tournament camp, Team Australia will fly out to Miyazaki on February 28, where the World Baseball Classic events officially begin and MLB-affiliated players can join the team.

After a three-day MLB-run camp in Miyazaki, the team will fly back to Tokyo to begin Pool Play on March 5.

Baseball.com.au will provide coverage of the camp thanks to Aces Sporting Club.

FULL GAME SCHEDULE

– February 21 (Saturday) – 12:00 p.m. – vs All Ashikaga Club
– February 22 (Sunday) – 12:00 p.m. – vs All Fuchu
– February 24 (Tuesday) – 11:30 a.m. – vs Metropolitan Police Department Baseball Club
– February 25 (Wednesday) – 11:30 a.m. – vs Gold Gym Baseball Club
– February 26 (Thursday) – 11:30 a.m. – vs 3GoodGroup HOZEN

– February 21 (Saturday): 11:30AM – Sogo Ceremony
– February 22 (Sunday): 10:15AM – Baseball Experience for Community