The groups for the 2027 European Championship have been officially revealed by WBSC Europe, with Germany set to host the tournament in Regensburg and Munich.

After the 2025 tournament was held across three countries for the first time, the European Championship will return to a single host nation in 2027.

The 16-team field will be divided into four groups of four. Slovakia and Bulgaria earned their places through qualifiers earlier this year. Slovakia will make its second appearance at the European Championship, while Bulgaria will make its debut.

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The groups are:

Group A

  • Czechia

  • Germany

  • Sweden

  • Greece

Group B

  • Netherlands

  • Great Britain

  • France

  • Slovakia

Group C

  • Spain

  • Israel

  • Switzerland

  • Belgium

Group D

  • Italy

  • Croatia

  • Austria

  • Bulgaria

The Netherlands enter the tournament as defending champions after winning gold at the 2025 European Championship in Rotterdam. The title was the Netherlands’ 25th European Championship gold medal.

The Netherlands defeated Italy 6-5 in the 2025 championship game, while Czechia earned its first bronze medal in the competition with a 9-2 victory over Spain.

The 2027 tournament will carry additional significance because of its connection to qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The top two European Championship finishers will qualify for the six-team final Olympic qualifier. If a European team qualifies for the Olympics through the 2027 Premier12 and also finishes in the top two at the European Championship, the bronze medalist will instead earn Europe’s place in the final qualifier.

Two of the six teams in the final Olympic qualifier will come from Europe. The other spots will go to the winner of the 2027 African Baseball Championship, the top two non-qualified teams from the 2027 Asian Championship and the highest non-qualified team from the Oceania Championship. The final

The United States, Dominican Republic and Venezuela have already secured places in the 2028 Olympics. Three spots remain to be filled, with two expected to be determined through the 2027 Premier12. The top-finishing Asian team will earn one spot, while the other will go to either Australia or a European team, depending on which finishes higher.

The 2027 European Championship will therefore serve as both a major continental tournament and an important part of the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles Olympics.