ROME (AP) — If baseball rejoins the Olympics for the 2020 Tokyo Games, just qualifying for the tournament could be a challenge.
Under Tokyo’s recommendations, the men’s baseball competition would consist of just six teams – two less than the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s proposal.
WBSC president Riccardo Fraccari tells The Associated Press that, in addition to host and automatic qualifier Japan, one team would qualify by winning the 2019 Premier 12 tournament.
The other four entrants could be determined by continental qualifying tournaments: two from the Americas, one from Europe-Africa and one from Asia-Oceania.