Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
The Korean national team pulled off a near-miracle to reach the WBC quarterfinals and now faces a gauntlet of squads loaded with Major League stars. Still, the single-elimination format and South Korea’s momentum leave the matchup wide open.
Manager Ryu Ji-hyun’s team beat Australia 7-2 on March 9 at Tokyo Dome in Pool C’s fourth game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Korea finished 2-2, tied with Australia and Taiwan, but advanced to the quarterfinals in second place behind Japan by posting a better runs-allowed-per-out rate (0.123) than Australia and Taiwan (0.130).
South Korea reached the quarterfinals for the first time since finishing as runner-up in 2009. After a day off on the 10th, the team will board a chartered nonstop flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Miami around midnight on the 11th.
Korea’s quarterfinal is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. KST on March 14 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. Their opponent will be the winner of Pool D.
While Pool D is not complete, Korea is most likely to face either the Dominican Republic or Venezuela. The Dominican Republic already clinched its quarterfinal spot with three straight wins, and Venezuela sits at 2-0.
That sets up the March 12 Pool D finale between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela as a likely de facto group championship: the winner will probably draw Korea in the quarters.
Either opponent will present a stiff challenge. Both rosters are star-studded with current big-league talent.
The Dominican lineup alone reads like an MLB All-Star team. It features Juan Soto (New York Mets), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado (both San Diego Padres), Ketel Marte (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Julio Rodríguez (Seattle Mariners), while the pitching staff includes, among others, Sandy Alcantara (Miami Marlins), Brayan Bello (Boston Red Sox) and Wandy Peralta (San Diego Padres).
By contract value, several names carry eye-popping figures: Soto (15 years, $765,000,000), Guerrero Jr. (14 years, $500,000,000), Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340,000,000), Machado (11 years, $350,000,000) and Rodríguez (12 years, $209,300,000).
Venezuela may not match the Dominican Republic blow-for-blow on paper, but it still boasts big-league standouts such as former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta Braves) and batting champion Luis Arraez (San Francisco Giants), plus Andrés Jiménez (Toronto Blue Jays), Gleyber Torres (Detroit Tigers), Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers) and Eduardo Rodríguez (Arizona Diamondbacks).
On paper, Korea appears to be up against a formidable collection of talent. Yet single-elimination tournaments often produce variables that can erase perceived gaps.
When Korea reached the semifinals in 2006 and again made a deep run in 2009, the team knocked off multiple elite opponents — including rival Japan, the U.S. in 2006, and Venezuela in 2009.
Ultimately, coping with the pressure of “one loss and you’re out” is the decisive factor. Korea already escaped a do-or-die first round to reach Round 2, which should bolster its confidence and focus.
Korea also avoids the strain of last-minute travel before the quarterfinals: finishing early on March 9 gave the team ample rest. By contrast, the Dominican Republic or Venezuela would play on the 12th and then have only one day off before the quarters, which could become a factor.
Historically, when Korea clears the first round in the WBC it has gone on to reach at least the semifinals. After this dramatic run into the quarterfinals, expectations are rising again.
