Full list of 2026 World Baseball Classic exhibition games on SPOTV NOW
By Lee Seng Foo1 month ago
(World Baseball Classic/Facebook)
With only days remaining before the first pitch of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), all 20 national teams are entering their final phase of preparation through several club-versus-country exhibition games.
While teams in WBC Pool C face Nippon Professional Baseball teams in Japan, those in the other three pools sharpen up against Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs in North America, which forms part of the latter’s 2026 Spring Training schedule.
Here are the WBC exhibition games you can watch live and on demand on SPOTV NOW (subject to change).
Exhibition Game
Date
Time (GMT+8)
Toronto Blue Jays vs Canada
4 March 2026
2:07AM
San Francisco Giants vs USA
4 March 2026
4:05AM
Arizona Diamondbacks vs Mexico
4 March 2026
4:10AM
Boston Red Sox vs Puerto Rico
4 March 2026
7:05AM
Minnesota Twins vs Puerto Rico
5 March 2026
2:05AM
Tampa Bay Rays vs Netherlands
5 March 2026
2:05AM
Philadelphia Phillies vs Canada
5 March 2026
2:05AM
Atlanta Braves vs Colombia
5 March 2026
2:05AM
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Mexico
5 March 2026
4:05AM
Colorado Rockies vs USA
5 March 2026
4:10AM
San Diego Padres vs Great Britain
5 March 2026
4:10AM
Washington Nationals vs Venezuela
5 March 2026
7:05AM
Jorge Martin: From Heaven to Hell
Coming into the season as the reigning World Champion, the Spaniard endured a nightmare year, as injury derailed his debut campaign with Aprilia
MotoGP has drawn the curtain on a landmark year—one defined by explosive growth, record-breaking fan engagement, and unforgettable drama on the track.
The 2025 season set the tone for innovation from the very start, launching in Bangkok with a bold new brand identity that signaled progress and ambition. What followed was the most expansive calendar in MotoGP history: 22 races across 18 countries on five continents.
The Marquez Factor
On the asphalt, the narrative was dominated by a redemption arc for the ages. Marc Marquez, now draped in the factory red of the Ducati Lenovo Team, completed a comeback that silenced any remaining skeptics. But Marquez wasn't the only story; in a testament to the grid’s current parity, 10 out of 11 teams stood on the podium this year, ensuring that "procession" remained a foreign word in the paddock.
By the Numbers: A Sport in Ascent
The scale of growth this season was not merely incremental—it was seismic. Across 22 races spanning five continents, the championship saw its global fanbase swell to 632 million, a 12% jump from the previous year.
The physical atmosphere at the tracks told the same story. A staggering 3.6 million fans passed through the turnstiles in 2025. Nowhere was this more evident than at Le Mans; the French Grand Prix officially became the sport's North Star, drawing an all-time record of 311,797 spectators over a single weekend.
The Digital Shift
While the grandstands were full, the living rooms were even busier. Average TV viewership per Grand Prix rose by 9%, but the real "hero" product has become the Saturday Sprint. Viewership for the short-form race format surged by 26%, proving that MotoGP’s gamble on high-intensity, bite-sized content is paying dividends.
Key 2025 Performance Metrics:
Social Media Following: 60M+ (61% engagement rate)
YouTube Consumption: 1 Billion+ minutes
Youth Appeal: >50% of the fanbase is under the age of 35
"2025 was a landmark season—a clear reflection of the work we have done to open our sport to new audiences," said Carmelo Ezpeleta, MotoGP CEO. "From record-breaking attendance to digital engagement and incredible racing, this year shows the strength and vibrancy of our sport today."
The sport shows no signs of slowing its eastward expansion. The 2026 campaign is set to ignite once again at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, from February 27 to March 1.
For fans looking to catch every lean angle and photo finish, the 2026 season will be available to stream live on SPOTV NOW.
Melbourne City vs Melbourne VictorySaturday, December 20 – AAMI Park – 7:35pm AEDTHow to Watch: Live streaming on SPOTV NOW
Current Standings
Melbourne City: 4th
Melbourne Victory: 12th
Round 8 Results
Melbourne City: Did not play (AFC Champions League Elite commitments)
Melbourne Victory: 2-1 win over Adelaide United (Home)
The Christmas Derby in Melbourne rarely disappoints. It’s a fixture that guarantees intensity, drama, and plenty at stake.
Melbourne City have managed their season impressively, balancing domestic duties with AFC Champions League Elite commitments. Sitting fourth in the A-League, they look sharp and organized.
Striker Max Caputo has been the breakout star, already netting four league goals—just one shy of his career-best tally from last season.
Across town, Melbourne Victory finally found their scoring touch after four goalless matches. Greek forward Nikos Vergos broke his duck in style, bagging a brace against Adelaide United.
Meanwhile, marquee signing Juan Mata continues to pull the strings in midfield, creating 26 chances so far this season for Arthur Diles’ side.
When these teams met in Round 4, City claimed bragging rights with a 2-0 win courtesy of Caputo and young full-back Peter Antoniou.
Victory, however, haven’t won a derby since October 2024 and have managed just two wins this season. Still, City boss Aurelio Vidmar isn’t taking anything for granted. “We’re up against a very good team, especially in attack,” Vidmar said.
“The inclusion of Nishan gives them extra creativity and options. Mata is hitting form, and Vergos scored twice last week. They’re slowly getting back to normal performances. We know it’s going to be a tough game—it always is.”
The contrast in fortunes could hardly be more stark as Macarthur FC returns to domestic duties this Friday. For the Bulls, the continent has been a playground; for the Roar, the A-League has become a fortress.
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane RoarFriday, December 19 – Campbelltown Sports Stadium – 6:00pm AEDTHow to Watch: Live stream on SPOTV NOW
Current Standings
Macarthur: 10th
Brisbane Roar: 2nd
Round 8 Recap
Macarthur: Did not play (AFC Champions League Two commitments)
Brisbane Roar: 0-0 draw vs Western Sydney Wanderers (A)
Macarthur return to A-League action on Friday night looking to translate their impressive AFC Champions League Two form into domestic success. The Bulls dominated their ACL Two group, but their league campaign has stalled—just four goals in seven matches, the fewest in the competition.
Brisbane Roar, meanwhile, arrive in Campbelltown riding a six-game unbeaten streak. Their 0-0 draw with Western Sydney last week underlined a defensive resilience that has become their trademark.
With six clean sheets in eight matches and only three goals conceded all season—none on Australian soil—the Roar boast the league’s most formidable backline.
The sides have already met once this season, with Brisbane claiming a 1-0 win in Round 1 thanks to Jay O’Shea’s penalty. Expect another tight contest, with the Roar’s combative style under Michael Valkanis continuing to ruffle feathers across the league.
Goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis summed up Brisbane’s mindset ahead of the clash:
“Football is a physical game – we go out there to win. We’re proud of our clean sheets, proud of fighting for each other and for the badge. You can play pretty football, but without fire and determination, you won’t get anywhere. We’re proud to be a team that’s hard to beat.”
With Macarthur desperate to ignite their season and Brisbane intent on extending their unbeaten run, this promises to be a battle of contrasting philosophies—possession versus pragmatism, flair versus fight.
BWF have confirmed all 16 singles players and 24 doubles pairs who will compete at the upcoming World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China.
China field the largest contingent with nine representatives, earning two spots in every discipline except men’s doubles, where they have only one pair.
However, that number may change following Shi Yu Qi’s injury at the National Games of China.
Japan have the next highest tally with six, led by world champion Akane Yamaguchi, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia with five each.
As with previous editions, the season finale is heavily dominated by Asian shuttlers, with Denmark and France the only non-Asian nations represented this year.
Interestingly, seven of the qualifiers featured at the recent BXL Jakarta 2025: Jonatan Christie, Kodai Naraoka, Chirag Shetty, Fajar Alfian, Sabar Karyaman Gutama, Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani and Shevon Jemie Lai.
MEN’S SINGLES
Shi Yu Qi (China)
Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand)
Li Shi Feng (China)
Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei)
Anders Antonsen (Denmark)
Christo Popov (France)
Jonatan Christie (Indonesia)
Kodai Naraoka (Japan)
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)
An Se Young (South Korea)
Wang Zhi Yi (China)
Han Yue (China)
Putri Kusuma Wardani (Indonesia)
Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand)
Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan)
MEN’S DOUBLES
Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae (South Korea)
Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia)
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (India)
Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia)
Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (Indonesia)
Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang (China)
Chiu Hsiang-Chieh/Wang Chi-Lin (Chinese Taipei)
Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (Indonesia)
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning (China)
Pearly Tan/M. Thinaah (Malaysia)
Kim Hye Jeong/Kong Hee Yong (South Korea)
Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian (China)
Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (Japan)
Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi (Japan)
Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (South Korea)
Hsieh Pei-Shan/Hung En-Tzu (Chinese Taipei)
MIXED DOUBLES
Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei (Malaysia)
Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran (Thailand)
Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (China)
Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin (China)
Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai (Malaysia)
Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (France)
Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito (Japan)
Jafar Hidayatullah/Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu (Indonesia)
