World Baseball Classic 2023: Schedule, Format, Lists, How to Watch and Stream from Anywhere

Spring training games have just begun, but many Major League Baseball players will soon be taking a two-week break from practices and practice games in Arizona and Florida to play for their country in the World Baseball Classic.

With a 30-man MLB roster, Team USA enters the tournament as the defending champions. The Dominican Republic (winner in 2013) and Japan (two-time champions, in 2009 and 2006) loom as the biggest obstacles to an American repeat.

The tournament runs from March 7 to 21. The games will air on Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes. In addition, three early-round games will be shown live on Fox-owned streaming app Tubi. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the WBC, with or without cable.

How can I watch the World Baseball Classic?

You can watch the WBC on Fox, FS1, FS2 and Fox Deportes with a live TV streaming service, but keep in mind that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure they carry Fox on area. The primary channel for the WBC is FS1, which will not only show three of Team USA’s first four games, but also the semifinals and title game.

The games can also be streamed live online via FoxSports.com or the Fox Sports app, but you’ll need to authenticate with a cable, streaming or satellite connection. You don’t need an account to watch the three games on the free ad-supported streaming service Tubi.

How to use a VPN to watch the WBC from anywhere

If you’re traveling outside your country and want to watch the WBC, or just want an extra layer of privacy to stream, there’s an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy site: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.

With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to access WBC broadcasts, which is useful if you can’t watch the games locally. A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and connections.

If you can’t find a convenient opportunity to watch the WBC where you live, using a VPN with a US-based server should provide access to some or all of the streaming options listed below. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice ExpressVPN, make it very easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, as long as you have a legal subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should make sure your VPN is set up properly to avoid leaks: Even when VPNs are legitimate, the streaming service can terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing properly enforced obfuscation restrictions. Check out our list of the best VPNs for more and check out other great VPN deals going on right now.

Quick tips for streaming WBC using a VPN

• With four variables at play — ISP, browser, video streaming provider, and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble downloading the game after you’ve enabled your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, sign in to your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps that you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll need to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network will now show up in the correct viewing position.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main website for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. Having a VPN on your router will also help here, as both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so make sure you’re using a privacy-protecting browser to connect to your services. We usually recommend Brave.