Japan-USA to open Women's Softball World Cup Finals Super Round

World No. 1 USA, No. 5 Canada (qualified out of Group A), No. 3 Japan, and No. 8 Netherlands (Group B) will compete in the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2024 Super Round in Castions di Strada, Italy.

In a repeat of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medal game and The World Games softball final 2022, defending champions USA will take on Olympic gold medallists Japan in the opening Super Round game at 11:00 (local time) on Thursday.

Japan will play both games at 11:00, while the United States will play their two at 17:30 (all times are local).

The Super Round will open on Thursday, July 18. at the Stadio Comunale di Castions di Strada, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.

Netherlands take on Canada in the second Super Round game on Thursday.

Opening Round group a leaders USA will also play the Netherlands on Friday, 19 July, while group B leaders Japan will play Canada to determine the order of the four finalists, scheduled for Saturday, July 20

The top two finishers of the Super Round will compete for the Women's Softball World Title. The third and fourth-place teams will play for bronze.

The medal games are scheduled for Saturday, July 20, at 17:00 and 20:00 (local time).

USA has 12 titles to their name and Japan three, while Canada's best result was a silver medal in 1978. The Netherlands has never stepped on the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup podium, with a fourth placed finish the closest they have come in 2016.

Meanwhile, the Placement Round will take place with China playing Australia at 14:00 and Puerto Rico taking on hosts Italy at 20:30.