An international baseball rivalry will be renewed today when Japan and South Korea face off in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Both teams are coming into today’s game, the second of four pool stage matchups, off huge wins in their respective tournament openers.
Shohei Ohtani set a WBC record in Japan’s game against Chinese Taipei. His five-RBI second inning is the most RBI’s recorded by a player in a single inning. The Los Angeles Dodger went 3-for-4, including a grand slam, in the 13-0 victory that ended after the seventh inning due to the World Baseball Classic’s mercy rule.
2026 world baseball classic: what to know
- Who: Team Japan vs. Team South Korea
- When: March 7, 5 a.m. ET
- Where: Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan)
- Channel: FS1
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
South Korea faced Czechia in its first game, defeating them 11-4. Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee, Astros left fielder Shay Whitcomb and Tigers right fielder Jahmai Jones lead Team Korea alongside stars from the KBO.
Japan vs. South Korea WBC start time
Japan vs. South Korea at the World Baseball Classic is scheduled to begin at 5 a.m. ET today, March 7.
How to watch Japan vs. South Korea for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the World Baseball Classic for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching sports live for free — its five-day free trial includes FS1. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $69.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.
Sling TV is another affordable way to stream World Baseball Classic matchups; its Select plan includes FOX and starts at $19.99/month.
World Baseball Classic 2026 key dates
- QF 1: Pool C runner-up vs. Pool D winner – March 13, 6:30 p.m. ET (FS2)
- QF 2: Pool A runner-up vs. Pool B winner – March 13, 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
- QF 3: Pool B runner-up vs. Pool A winner – March 14, 3 p.m. ET (FS1)
- QF 4: Pool D runner-up vs. Pool C winner – March 14, 9 p.m. ET (FOX)
- SF 1: QF1 winner vs. QF2 winner – March 15, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
- SF 2: QF3 winner vs. QF4 winner – March 16, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Championship – March 17, 8 p.m. ET (FOX)
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
