The 2023 U-15 Women's Softball World Cup was the first edition of the U-15 Women's Softball World Cup held in Tokyo, Japan, from October 21 to 29, and featured 12 national teams from five continents.[a] It was the first world junior softball championship played in Japan, after three Women's Softball World Cups were organized in 1970 in Osaka, 1998 in Fujinomiya and 2018 in Chiba.[1][2]
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Japan |
| Dates | October 21 – 29, 2023 |
| Teams | 12 (from 5 continents) |
| Final positions | |
Champions |  United States (1st title) |
Runner-up |  Puerto Rico |
Third place | Japan |
| Fourth place |  Chinese Taipei |
The United States prevailed 3–0 in the unprecedented showdown with Puerto Rico in the final of the inaugural U-15 Women's Softball World Cup at Ota Stadium in Tokyo. The United States now holds all of the women's softball World Cup titles, namely the WBSC U-15, U-18 and Senior crowns. Earlier in the day, Japan beat Chinese Taipei to claim the bronze medal.[3][4]
Aspen Boulware of the United States, was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 U-15 Women's Softball World Cup, where she was also included as part of the World Team's outstanding outfield.[5]
Venue selection
editThe presentation of the new tournament occurred on February 26, 2021, when the WBSC announced its Schedule for the Softball World Cups for the next nine years in the 2021-2029 competition period.[6]
On June 9, 2022, the World Baseball Softball Confederation awarded hosting rights for the inaugural U-15 Women's Softball World Cup to the Japan Softball Association (JSA) following its executive board meeting. The first edition of the new World Cup would be played in Tokyo in October 2023 with the best players in the world from 12 countries. The JSA candidacy won the race against Lima, Peru.[7]
The naming of Tokyo as the host of the WBSC U-15 Women's Softball World Cup, a youth-focused event, two years after the successful softball competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, adds to the legacy of the Tokyo Games, which saw Japan claim the gold medal beating the United States in the final.[8]
On July 1, 2022, the organizers announced that the tournament will be played at the Komazawa Olympic Park Sports Complex, a legacy of the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Komazawa Olympic Park facilities were used as venues for ice hockey, grass, wrestling, volleyball, soccer and other events. Baseball and cycling facilities were added after the Games when the park was transformed into a public sports center for the citizens of Tokyo.
The 3,000-seat artificial turf baseball stadium was renovated in August 2019 and includes fully equipped locker rooms for teams and officials and a perfect playing field to offer an incredible experience for participating young athletes.
The JSA also announced that two additional venues will be used during the tournament: the Setagaya City Okura Sports Center Baseball Field will host some Preliminary Round games, while Ota Stadium will host the Super Round games and the finals, with 3,223 capacities.
| Tokyo, Japan
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Opening Round & Qualification Round | Opening Round | Super Round & Finals |
| Setagaya, Tokyo
|
Setagaya, Tokyo
|
Ota, Tokyo
|
| Komazawa Olympic Park | Okura Sports Center Baseball Field | Ota Stadium |
|
||
| Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: – | Capacity: 3,223 |
| Local team: – | Local team: – | Local team: – |
Referees
editReferees Director: 
William Leigh Evans
Referees Director Assistant
Paulo Tabirara
Referees:
Jo Boyeon
Sasajima Ayaka
Megan Hylton
ReneHu Tsang-Sheng- Yabe Miki
Derrin Clark
William Osbel López Pellot- Tanaka Katsuhiro
Brydon Lloyd Wells
Cheng Tao- Hashimoto Takashi
Ismail Rosli Bin
Eliazim Raúl Salazar Leal- Ogawa Koji
Competition format
editThe 12 participating nations will open the tournament divided into two groups of six teams. The top three in each group will advance to the Super Round, and the top two from this stage will advance to the Championship Final. All six teams will enter the Super Round maintaining their respective Opening Round head-to-head records.
The group stage will feature 25 matches to be played in Komazawa and Setagaya from October 21 to 24. The top three teams in each group will advance to the Super Round, while the other five teams will play in the Placement Round. In this phase there will be 15 matches in Komazawa and Ota Stadium from October 26 to 28. The bronze medal match and the world championship final will be played at Ota Stadium on October 29.
Final standings
edit| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
 |
United States
|
 |
Puerto Rico
|
 |
Japan
|
| 4 | Chinese Taipei
|
| 5 |  Mexico
|
| 6 | Philippines
|
| 7 |  Czech Republic
|
| 8 |  Italy
|
| 9 |  Peru
|
| 10 |  Brazil
|
| 11 |  New Zealand
|
| 12 |  Uganda
|
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "I Copa do Mundo de Softbol Feminino Sub15 – 2023 (Tabela e Resultados) – CBBS" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "México conquista histórico pase al Mundial de softbol Sub-15 al arrasar en el Campeonato Panamericano". Latin US (in Mexican Spanish). 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "Sófbol - Copa del Mundo Femenina Sub-15 2023 - Calendario & Resultados". www.los-deportes.info. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ IPC (2023-10-29). "Mundial de Softbol Sub-15 en Tokio: Japón gana la medalla de bronce ante China Taipei". International Press - Noticias de Japón en español (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "MVP Boulware leads WBSC U-15 Women's Softball World Cup All-World Team". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ "International News: USA Softball Reveals U-15 Women's National Team Roster for WBSC U-15 Women's Softball World Cup in October - Extra Inning Softball". 2023-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "Se publica el nuevo calendario de ofertas de eventos de la WBSC". World Baseball Softball Confederation (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "access". u15-女子ソフトボールワールドカップ-2023 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-06-02.