Press release World Baseball Softball Confederation
The WBSC welcomed seven new members to its family during a dynamic 3rd World Congress held in Sakai, Japan on Thursday.
The new members (listed below) were unanimously voted in by the WBSC Congress, bringing the total number of WBSC member federations to 200 plus 13 associate members:
- Bermuda Baseball
- Laos Baseball
- Benin Baseball & Softball
- Bangladesh Baseball & Softball
- Palestine Baseball & Softball
- Egypt Baseball & Softball
- Kosovo Baseball & Softball
The Nauru Federation was earlier elected out of the office following a recommendation by their NOC on the grounds of inactivity.
A total of 330 delegates representing 138 member organizations (including associate members) from 97 countries and regions attended the 2019 WBSC Congress, which received a presentation from the Italian Association Baseball Played From Blind providing federations with a Paralympic opportunity going forward. WBSC also offered to support any federations willing to proceed in this direction.
The WBSC Congress finished with its Annual Awards as per the following:
| Category | Year | Name | Country |
| Player | 2019 | Hikaru Matsuda | JPN |
| Player | 2018 | Haylie Ann McCleney | USA |
| Coach | 2019 | Julio Ismael Gamarci | ARG |
| Coach | 2018 | Kenneth Scott Eriksen | USA |
| Umpire | 2019 | David Selden III | USA |
| Umpire | 2018 | Kyira Cox | AUS |
| Federation | 2019 | China | CHN |
| Federation | 2018 | Mexico | MEX |
The other top news from the 2019 WBSC Congress in Sakai, Japan was: