Six national teams open play at Devon Park on Sept. 12 in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Group Stage. Oklahoma City is one of three cities worldwide hosting the tournament.
The five-day event runs through Sept. 16 at OGE Energy Field. Nineteen games will be played across round-robin and playoff rounds, with two automatic berths to the 2027 World Cup Finals in Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia, at stake. Prague and Lima hosted the other two group stages, so the Oklahoma City stop will complete the field for next year's championship.
The tournament also marks the first qualifying step toward the LA28 Olympic Games. The 2027 World Cup champion will earn the first available Olympic berth, according to the WBSC. The United States has already qualified as the host nation.
Softball returns to the Olympic program in 2028. Competition is set for Devon Park.
Team USA's local ties
University of Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso leads the No. 2-ranked U.S. squad. The 18-player roster features former OU standouts Alyssa Brito, Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings and Kelly Maxwell, plus former Oklahoma State pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl.
Olympic veterans Rachel Garcia and Dejah Mulipola, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Games, anchor the roster's experience, according to Line Drive Media. Nine players won gold at the 2025 World Games.
Team USA enters the tournament looking to reclaim the world title after falling to Japan 6-1 in the decisive game of the 2024 World Cup, according to Line Drive Media. Pitcher Montana Fouts threw a one-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over Japan at the recent USA Softball International Cup at Devon Park.
The field
Four of the six teams in Oklahoma City rank inside the world's top eight: No. 2 USA, No. 5 Netherlands, No. 7 China and No. 8 Mexico. New Zealand and Brazil round out the group. Brazil returns to the Women's Softball World Cup after a 10-year absence, according to the WBSC.
Schedule and tickets
Saturday's action opens at 1 p.m. with Brazil vs. China, followed by New Zealand vs. the Netherlands at 4 p.m. An opening ceremony is set for 6:30 p.m. before the USA-Mexico game at 7:30 p.m., according to the WBSC schedule.
Team USA then faces Brazil and the Netherlands on Sept. 13, New Zealand on Sept. 14, and China on Sept. 15. Playoffs begin Sept. 16, with the fifth- and sixth-place teams meeting first and the top two sides playing for the group title.
Daily general-admission tickets start at $16 through SeatGeek. All games will stream live on GameTime, the WBSC's platform, with a tournament pass priced at $14.99 and daily passes starting at $9.99. The All Women's Sports Network, Bally Sports Live app and DAZN will also carry selected games.
Devon Park is scheduled to host seven WBSC World Cup or Olympic events between 2024 and 2031. A $25.4 million expansion, including the 30,000-square-foot Choctaw Nation Fieldhouse, is underway ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
"As we prepare to welcome the world to Oklahoma City for the Olympic Games … this Fieldhouse will provide elite training opportunities for athletes while also creating a lasting impact for our sport long after 2028," USA Softball CEO Craig Cress said at the Sept. 4 groundbreaking.
The winner of the Sept. 16 playoff final punches a ticket to Redcliffe, Queensland, for the 2027 Finals, scheduled for April 5-11.
