Policoro to Host European Youth Baseball5 Championship: Italy Targets Top 6 Finish

Thirteen national teams are set to compete at the ParaErcole facility in Policoro when the European Youth Baseball5 Championship opens.

Policoro officially presented the upcoming European Youth Baseball5 Championship during a press conference held at the municipal headquarters, as reported by Sportiamoci. The tournament runs from November 11 to 14, bringing international youth competition to the Italian venue.

Hosting an international event after two years is a source of great pride for Policoro, stated Giuseppe Montano, Councillor for Sport for the Municipality of Policoro, as reported by Sportiamoci. Montano emphasized that sports serve as an extraordinary tool for community growth, social aggregation, and local promotion.

Sergio Piccinini, the federal councillor with responsibility for Baseball5, said 2026 will be a key year for the discipline's development across the country. According to Sportiamoci, Piccinini pointed to preceding milestones including the Elite Italian Championship finals in Treviso, the youth tournament in Policoro, the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, the CONI Trophy, and the School Cup.

Manager Maurizio Balla has named an eight-player roster for the Italian youth national team, assisted by coach Giovanni Pecorelli, physiotherapist Serena Morelli, and team manager Isabella Dalbesio, according to policorotv.it. The Azzurri enter the tournament after securing a fifth-place finish at the previous edition.

Italy has been drawn into Group A alongside France, Spain, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Belgium, as detailed by policorotv.it. Group B features Ukraine, Turkey, Romania, the Netherlands, Moldova, Lithuania, and Hungary.

The Italian team opens its schedule on Wednesday, November 11, facing Spain at 11:00 and Bulgaria at 19:00. On Thursday, November 12, the squad meets Croatia at 12:30 and Belgium at 15:30. The opening round concludes Friday, November 13, with a match against France at 11:00.

Following the round-robin group phase, the top three national teams from each group advance to a six-team Super Round, carrying forward their direct-encounter results. The four highest-ranking teams from the Super Round will then compete in the medal matches, while the remaining squads contest placements from seventh to thirteenth, according to tournament regulations reported by Sportiamoci.

We know the level of competition will be very high and that we will face opponents of great quality, but we want to play it out with everyone, Balla told Sportiamoci. The manager stated that the primary objective is securing a finish among the top six European teams while aiming for further progression.

The championship final is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at 17:30 at the PalaErcole facility.