The Under-18 European Baseball Championship begins tomorrow in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeast Italy. Two groups will each play a round robin, with the top two advancing to the semifinals. Group A consists of Austria, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Israel, and Italy, and will be played at the Campo Comunale di Prosecco Villaopicina in Trieste. Group B contains the national teams of Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, hosted by Campo Comunale Gaspardis, Ronchi dei Legionari. Each groups plays a round robin before the top two teams in each group progress to the semifinals, with the middle two contesting placing and the bottom four working to avoid relegation.
In 2024, Italy won its 15th title and is one of only three countries in 33 editions of the U18 Baseball Euros (formerly called the European Junior Championship) with a title. The Netherlands (17) and Spain (1) have claimed the other, with the latter winning in 2022. Hungary and Poland replace Croatia and Sweden, who were promoted to the 2024 edition and, subsequently, relegated once more. Each country makes its debut at the Under-18 continental level. Though it has to be announced, the finalists of the U18 Baseball Euros usually secure spots in the Under-18 Baseball World Cup, the next edition of which is in Pingtan, China, in 2027.
The logo was designed by Giuseppe Ippolito, and combines two of the most recognizable landmarks of Trieste and Ronchi dei Legionari: the Cathedral of Ronchi dei Legionari on the left, and the City Hall of Trieste to the right.
Box scores can be found here [link].
Group A Day 1 Schedule
July 13
Great Britain – Austria
Hungary – France
Italy – Israel
Group B Schedule and Results
July 13
Germany – Belgium
Netherlands – Czech Republic
Poland – Spain