WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Some of the best baseball players in the world are in Palm Beach County and on the Treasure Coast this week trying to secure their spot in the world's biggest sporting event.
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach and Clover Park in Port St. Lucie are hosting 16 games for the final Olympics qualifier tournament and the only one in the U.S. before the Summer Olympics kick off in Tokyo in July.
The qualifier games start on Monday and run through Saturday, June 5.
The U.S., Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela are all vying for a spot in the Olympics and will participate in the tournament.
BALLPARK OF THE PALM BEACHES
- Cuba vs. Venzuela at 1 p.m. on May 31
- Colombia vs Canada at 7 p.m. on May 31
- Nicaragua vs. Puerto Rico at 1 p.m. on June 1
- USA vs. Dominican Republic at 7 p.m. on June 1
- Canada vs. Venezuela at 1 p.m. on June 2
- Cuba vs. Colombia at 7 p.m. on June 2
- TBD games at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on June 4
CLOVER PARK
- Puerto Rico vs. Dominican Republic at 1 p.m. on May 31
- USA vs. Nicaragua at 7 p.m. on May 31
- Colombia vs. Venezuela at 1 p.m. on June 1
- Canada vs. Cuba at 7 p.m. on June 1
- Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic at 1 p.m. on June 2
- Puerto Rico vs. USA at 7 p.m. on June 2
- TBD games at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on June 5
For tickets to games at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, click here.For tickets to games at Clover Park, click here.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches is being capped at 2,100 people.
"It's a partnership between Palm Beach County, St. Lucie County. And today, Cuba is playing Venezuela, and organizers told us it's the first time in over 60 years that a national team from Cuba has played baseball in the state of Florida," said George Linley with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. "So a big moment, a big moment for us."
The Summer Olympics will begin on July 23 and will air on WPTV. This is the first time baseball has been in the Olympics since 2008.