MLB

Olympic path begins in Barcelona: What you need to know for Premier12 Qualifiers

October 8, 2026

The road to baseball’s return at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics officially kicks off this week with the Premier12 Qualifiers in Barcelona, where three spots in next year’s expanded tournament are up for grabs. The United States, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic have already secured their places, with the U.S.

qualifying as the host nation and the other two earning spots as the top non-U.S. teams from the Americas in the World Baseball Classic.

The remaining three spots will be decided through two regional qualifiers, with the top two teams from Barcelona—featuring Colombia, Spain, Italy, and Germany—advancing alongside two more from a November event in Zhongshan, China. The Premier12, now in its current form since 2015, has grown from a 12-team tournament to a 16-team field, with the top 12 teams earning automatic qualification for next year’s main event.

Games in Barcelona run from October 9 to 11, with early-morning start times for U.S. fans, and will be streamed globally on the WBSC YouTube channel or through Gametime.

Notably, MLB players on 40-man rosters are ineligible, though affiliated minor leaguers not on those rosters can compete. Colombia, ranked 13th by WBSC, returns with former big leaguer Gio Urshela serving as manager after leading the team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.