Bonus Edition – Semi-Finals, the Championship Game and Venezuela's Historic Run to the Title
After spending five unforgettable nights in Houston following Great Britain's journey through Pool B, I assumed my World Baseball Classic adventure had come to an end. Then an opportunity came along that I simply couldn't turn down.
Just before leaving for Houston, I was lucky enough to be offered a ticket for the World Baseball Classic Final in Miami. It wasn't an easy decision. It meant flying home from Texas, spending barely two days back in the UK before heading straight back across the Atlantic on my own - and it's fair to say my brownie points with my wife were already in short supply.
But how often do you get the chance to watch a World Baseball Classic Final in person? It had to be done.
If you haven't already, I'd definitely recommend reading my Houston blog first, where I followed Great Britain's group stage campaign at Daikin Park.
Day 1
Back Across the Atlantic
So after what felt like barely enough time to unpack my suitcase, I found myself back at Heathrow, this time travelling solo for a three-night whistle-stop visit to Miami. The body clock was all over the place.
Unfortunately, my late arrival meant I missed the first semi-final between Team USA and the Dominican Republic - a game many had described as one of the greatest international baseball matchups ever assembled, with superstar-filled line-ups on both sides. Instead, after checking into my hotel (ironically named Hotel Croydon) on Miami Beach, I settled in to watch the game from the comforts of my room.
Team USA edged out a 2-1 victory, with their pitching staff doing a superb job of silencing the Dominican Republic's star-studded batting line-up.
Day 2
Miami Beach
With the baseball not starting until the evening, and with a couple 'iffy' days weather-wise ahead, I spent most of the day exploring Miami Beach on foot.
Starting around Mid-Beach, I racked up the steps by walking (regrettably in flip-fops) all the way down to the famous South Beach, taking in the wide sandy beaches, colourful lifeguard towers and the unmistakable Art Deco surroundings that make this part of Miami so recognisable.
One thing I would say though... If you're planning a baseball trip to LoanDepot Park, I'd seriously consider staying in Downtown or Brickell rather than Miami Beach. The traffic getting off the island was absolutely brutal. What doesn't look like a particularly long journey on a map ended up taking around an hour and 45 minutes by the time we'd crawled through the evening traffic.
Eventually though, I made it.
Game 1 - WBC 2026 Semi-Final #2
Venezuela vs Italy
LoanDepot Park – Miami, Florida
Although this wasn't the headline semi-final many people had expected, it quickly became clear that this was going to be something special.
Italy had already surprised plenty of people by reaching the semi-finals after an impressive tournament; coming out on top in pool B with wins over USA and Mexico, and an impressive victory in the first knockout round against Puerto Rico. Having watched them in Houston just a few days earlier, it was great to see them still competing on one of baseball's biggest stages.
Venezuela, meanwhile, had shocked many by knocking out reigning champions Japan in the quarter-finals. Their reward was another game in Miami - a city that is home to so many Venuzeulans, which from the moment I arrived, was very apparent. With their huge backing, they already had a big advantage going into the game.
The atmosphere outside the stadium was incredible. Fans danced through the fan zone accompanied by traditional bands, singing, waving flags and creating what felt more like a carnival than a sporting event. Even before first pitch, you knew this was going to be a memorable evening.
I made sure to give myself plenty of time to explore LoanDepot Park. It was my first visit, so I wandered around the different seating levels, grabbed some food and, of course, made a stop at the brilliant bobblehead museum in the outfield.
As the game got underway, Italy actually struck first. A bases-loaded walk in the second inning gave them an early lead before they extended it to 2-0, stunning the Venezuelan supporters.
With the game settling into a tense pitching battle, I took the opportunity to continue wandering around the ballpark. One thing that really stood out was that, despite trailing, the Venezuelan supporters never stopped celebrating. Every concourse was full of singing, dancing and constant noise. It was unlike anything I'd experienced at a baseball game before. And that volume cranked up even more when Eugenio Suárez hit a solo shot in the fourth.
Then came the seventh inning. Trailing by one run and down to their final out of the inning, Venezuela suddenly came alive. Ronald Acuña Jr. got things started with an RBI single, tying the game, followed by two more RBI hits from Maikel García Jr and Luis Arráez, all of which completed an extraordinary comeback.
I've been fortunate enough to attend a lot of sporting events over the years. I can honestly say that was the loudest atmosphere I've ever experienced. Every hit somehow generated even more noise than the last. The stadium was shaking, people were hugging complete strangers, flags were waving everywhere and the entire place erupted into complete pandemonium.
It was one of those sporting moments where you simply stop watching the game for a second and take in everything happening around you. On the flip side to that, I watched that moment of the game standing behind Michael Lorezen's mum (or mom), who was on grandma duty trying her best to keep the little one asleep whilst also dealing with the nerves of her sons situation. It was a complete juxtaposition to what the rest of the stadium was experiencing.
Venezuela saw out the rest of the game to win 4-2, booking their place in the World Baseball Classic Final, and as expected, the celebrations continued long into the night, even with the torrential rain outside the stadium.
Getting back to Miami Beach also proved tough, with the only viable route taking an Uber. Downside to that is that there are thousands of others all doing the same, so you are all frantically trying to book and hope a nearby driver accepts (whilst it continued to rain). It took me over 90 minutes to eventually get one, but I wasn't hugely bothered at the time, I was still buzzing with the game I had just witnessed.
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Day 3
After the previous evening's battle with Miami traffic, I decided to try something different. Rather than paying for another expensive Uber, I jumped on a couple of buses instead. It was certainly kinder on the wallet, although not much quicker, with the journey still taking close to two hours - not ideal when there are only 3 roads (or bridges) available to get off the island.
Thankfully I'd left myself plenty of time, so I arrived well before first pitch to soak up the atmosphere ahead of the Championship Game.
Game 2 - WBC 2026 Championship Game
United States vs Venezuela
LoanDepot Park – Miami, Florida
The buzz around LoanDepot Park was every bit as good as the night before, although this time the crowd felt much more evenly split between the two fanbases.
Naturally, with it being the final, it felt like every who's who of baseball had descended on LoanDepot Park. During batting practice, the warning track behind home plate was packed with baseball royalty. Ken Griffey Jr., Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter were just some of the legends walking around as everyone prepared for baseball's biggest international game.
The pre-game presentation was spectacular. Both teams were introduced from opposite corners of the outfield, slowly making their way onto the field behind their captains. Aaron Judge proudly carried the Stars and Stripes for Team USA, while Luis Arráez led Venezuela onto the field with their national flag. With the lights dimmed, giant graphics projected across the field and every fan wearing illuminated wristbands that lit up throughout the ceremony, it felt far more like the Super Bowl than a baseball game. It was one of the most impressive pre-game presentations I've ever witnessed.
Venezuela struck first in the top of the third inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Maikel García Jr., before Wilmer Abreu (hero from their quarter final victory over Japan), extended the lead with a solo home run in the fifth to make it 2-0.
Despite boasting a batting line-up that some deemed the greatest ever assembled, Team USA simply couldn't get anything going offensively. Eduardo Rodríguez was outstanding on the mound for Venezuela, while Nolan McLean kept the Americans in the contest with an excellent pitching performance of his own. As the innings ticked by, it looked as though Venezuela were closing in on their first World Baseball Classic title.
Then came the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and Team USA staring defeat in the face, Bryce Harper stepped into the batter's box and delivered one of the biggest moments of the tournament.
Two-run home run. The stadium was in disbelief and for the first time chants of "USA! USA" rung around LoanDepot Park.
Harper rounded the bases in style, lapping up the moment as best as one could in that type of moment, pointing and talking to the cameras, whilst the entire USA dugout emptied to greet him at home plate. Suddenly a game that had looked all but over was level once again. It really was one of those sporting moments that gives you goosebumps, regardless of who you're supporting.
Momentum, however, didn't stay with Team USA for long. In the top of the ninth, Eugenio Suárez came up with what is probably the most important hit of his entire career, with an RBI double off of Garrett Whitlock, to restore Venezuela's lead. It was up to Daniel Palencia to shut the door in the bottom half of the inning to spark unforgettable celebrations.
Pandemonium - Venezeula win 3-2. All of the Venezuelan players and staff poured onto the field, supporters hugged complete strangers and many around me were reduced to tears of joy. Having witnessed the incredible passion of the Venezuelan fans in both the semi-final and the final, it was impossible not to be swept up in the emotion. By the end of the tournament, I found myself cheering them on too.
Their boisterous supporters created two of the loudest sporting atmospheres I've ever experienced, bringing incredible energy from first pitch to final out. The passion, pride and love they have for baseball was unlike anything I'd seen before, and for a country who has had its fair share of problems back home, they fully deserved their moment.
What an unbelievable 10 days in Houston and Miami. Bring on the next World Baseball Classic!
