The Caribbean Series is scheduled to be played 1-7 February 2026 and now is moving to Mexico. The games will be played in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, after the Mexican Pacific League offered the country as an alternate host. The 2025 series was held in Mexicali, Mexico. The 2027 Caribbean Series is scheduled for Mexico, too.
The Dominican Republic (Leones del Escogido) is the defending champion into the Caribbean Series 2026.
The championship series that matches the best of the Caribbean League would have been held in Caracas, Venezuela. The international airline shutdown restricts all international events in Venezuela. The leagues from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Mexico announced they would not participate in the Caracas edition because of the political tensions.
The political crisis in that country has worsened after Maduro rejected the outcome of the July 2024 elections and has forcefully remained in power. Concurrently, the US Department of State is offering a reward of up to US$25 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Maduro. The US government has also deployed vast military resources in the Caribbean Sea. On Thursday, 18 December, US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast.
If Venezuela does not play, then Mexico will have two teams, the winner of the Mexican professional baseball championship and the runner-up.
In the past, Panama has also participated as guest country. Japan had played as guest country in 2025. An EFE press release says that Cuba has been excluded for 2026.
The Caribbean Series is organized by the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation, affiliated to Major League Baseball.
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22 December 2025