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WBSC Africa

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WBSC Africa
FormationJune 8, 1990; 35 years ago (1990-06-08)
TypeInternational sport federation
PurposeSport governing body
HeadquartersMinna, Nigeria
Membership27
Official language
English
President
Niger Uche Odozor
Parent organization
World Baseball Softball Confederation
Budget$27,000 (2023[1])
Websitehttps://www.wbscafrica.org/

WBSC Africa, formerly known as the African Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA), is the governing body of baseball and softball within Africa. There are 27 members.[2]

The confederation is responsible for operation of Baseball at the All-Africa Games and the Africa Cup Baseball Championship, last held in 2019.

South Africa is the only African country to compete in baseball at the Summer Olympics, in 2000,[3] or World Baseball Classic, in 2006 and 2009.[4][5]

The Tunisia Baseball5 team has reached the highest WBSC ranking of any African club, ranking second in the world in May 2024 after winning the Baseball5 African Championship.[6][7]

History

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The Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA) was formed on June 8, 1990, in Lagos, Nigeria. The founding countries, 9 in number, were Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The executive committee unanimously appointed at the inaugural meeting included Malcolm Burne (Zimbabwe) as president, Russell Bartlett (Namibia) as first vice president, Ray Pitcher (Zambia) as second vice president, Brigadier Ishola Williams (Nigeria) as secretary general, Lieutenant Colonel L Gwadabe (Nigeria) as assistant secretary general and Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Nigeria) as treasurer.[8] The executive director of the International Baseball Association (IBA), David Osinski was present at the inaugural meeting. The meeting was declared open by the then Minister of Sports of Nigeria, Air Commodore Anthony Ikhazoboh.[citation needed]

The 1st ABSA Congress was organised in 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Thereafter 6 congresses have been held, with the 2nd held in 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, the 3rd in 1994 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the 4th in 1995 in Harare, Zimbabwe, the 5th in 1996 in Lagos, Nigeria at which a new executive committee was elected to replace the appointed one. This Executive Committee comprised Major General Ishola Williams (Nigeria) as president, Ray Pitcher (Zambia) as vice president baseball, Matthews Kutumela (South Africa) as vice president softball, Etienne N’Guessan (Côte d'Ivoire) as secretary general and Fridah Shiroya (Kenya) as treasurer.

Also in 1996, responsibility for the promotion and development of the games was devolved to zones, and zonal coordinators were appointed as follows: zonal chairman North Africa Zone – Mohammed Ben Guiza (Tunisia), zonal chairman East and Central Africa Zone – Solomon Gacece (Kenya), zonal coordinator West Africa Zone – Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (Nigeria), and zonal chairman Southern Africa Zone – Edwin Bennett.

The Sixth Congress was held in 2001 in Minna, Nigeria. Françoise Kameni Lele (Cameroon) was elected treasurer and the 7th Congress in 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya. At the Seventh Congress, Major General Ishola Williams was confirmed as president, Fridah Shiroya was elected vice president softball, and Mabothobile Shebe (Lesotho) was elected secretary general.

The first Africa Cup Baseball Championship was organised in 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe with four countries participating, with South Africa winning, Zimbabwe finishing second, Nigeria third, and Zambia fourth. The second Africa Cup Baseball Championship in 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, the third Africa Cup Baseball Championship in 1995 in Harare, and the fourth Africa Cup Championship in 2001 in Kampala, Uganda.

The first time baseball featured in the All-Africa Games was in 1999 in the seventh All-Africa Games in South Africa, and the second time was in 2003 at the eighth All-Africa Games in Nigeria.[8] South Africa won both tournaments.[9]

The first age-group baseball tournament organised by the ABSA was the 1st ABSA/KENKO Under-13 Baseball Tournament, with teams from four countries participating: winners South Africa as well as Kenya, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe.

The ABSA also organized AA Under-15, AAA Under-17, club championships and Little League competitions.[8]

Members

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Baseball

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Code Association National teams Founded Membership IOC
member 		Note
BEN Benin Benin (M, W) 2018 Full Yes
BUR Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (M, W) 2004 Full Yes
CMR Cameroon Cameroon (M, W) 1997 Full Yes
CPV Cape Verde Cape Verde (M, W) 2020 Full Yes
CHA Chad Chad (M, W) 2005
COD Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo (M, W) 2010 Full Yes
EGY Egypt Egypt (M, W) 2018 Full Yes
GHA Ghana Ghana (M, W) 1992 Full Yes
CIV Ivory Coast Ivory Coast (M, W) 1996 Full Yes
KEN Kenya Kenya (M, W) 1997 Full Yes
LES Lesotho Lesotho (M, W) 1994 Full Yes
NIG Niger Niger (M, W) 2018 Provisional
NGR Nigeria Nigeria (M, W) 1989 Full Yes
SLE Sierra Leone Sierra Leone (M, W) 2021 Full Yes
RSA South Africa South Africa (M, W) 1935 Full Yes
SSD South Sudan South Sudan (M, W) 2020 Full
TAN Tanzania Tanzania (M, W) 2014 Full Yes
TOG Togo Togo (M, W) 1996 Full Yes
TUN Tunisia Tunisia (M, W) 1920 Full Yes
UGA Uganda Uganda (M, W) 1989 Full Yes
ZAM Zambia Zambia (M, W) 1979 Full Yes
ZIM Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (M, W) 1952 Full Yes

Former members

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These nations were members in the IBF but do not currently have membership in the WBSC and are not listed on WBSC Africa's website as of 2026.[2]

Association National teams
Angola Angola (M, W)
Botswana Botswana (M, W)
Liberia Liberia (M, W)
Morocco Morocco (M, W)
Namibia Namibia (M, W)

Softball

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Code Association National teams Founded Membership IOC
member 		Note
BEN Benin Benin (M, W) 2018 Full Yes
BOT Botswana Botswana (M, W) 1977 Full Yes
BUR Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (M, W) 2004 Full Yes
CMR Cameroon Cameroon (M, W) 1997 Full Yes
CPV Cape Verde Cape Verde (M, W) 2020 Full Yes
CHA Chad Chad (M, W) 2005 Full
EGY Egypt Egypt (M, W) 2018 Full Yes
GAM The Gambia Gambia (M, W) 2009 Full Yes
GHA Ghana Ghana (M, W) 1992 Full Yes
GUI Guinea Guinea (M, W) 2008 Provisional
KEN Kenya Kenya (M, W) 1986 Full Yes
LES Lesotho Lesotho (M, W) 1994 Full Yes
NIG Niger Niger (M, W) 2018 Full
NGR Nigeria Nigeria (M, W) 1989 Full Yes
SEN Senegal Senegal (M, W) 2000 Full Yes
RSA South Africa South Africa (M, W) 1994 Full Yes
SSD South Sudan South Sudan (M, W) 2020 Full
TAN Tanzania Tanzania (M, W) 2014 Full Yes
TUN Tunisia Tunisia (M, W) 1920 Full Yes
UGA Uganda Uganda (M, W) 1989 Full Yes
ZAM Zambia Zambia (M, W) 1979 Full Yes
ZIM Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (M, W) 2008 Full Yes

Former members

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These nations are not listed on WBSC Africa's website as of 2026.[2]

Association National teams
Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo (M, W)
Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau (M, W)
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast (M, W)
Liberia Liberia (M, W)
Mali Mali (M, W)
Namibia Namibia (M, W)
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone (M, W)

WBSC World Rankings

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Baseball

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Softball

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Baseball5

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WBSC Baseball5's Rankings (as of 31 December 2025)[14]
Africa* WBSC +/- National Team Points
1 5 Steady  Tunisia 3606
2 9 Steady  Kenya 2538
3 14 Steady  South Africa 1621
4 17 Decrease 1  Ghana 1055
5 22 Steady  Zambia 849
6 25 Decrease 2  Tanzania 506
7 33 Increase 6  Cape Verde 325
8 45 Decrease 2  Lesotho 159
9 47 Steady  Nigeria 116
10 56 Increase 3  Burkina Faso 98
11 58 Decrease 2  Zimbabwe 78
12 60 Decrease 2  Uganda 47
13 61 Decrease 1  Senegal 28
14 63 Decrease 2  Ivory Coast 17
15 64 Decrease 2  Benin 13
16 65 Decrease 2  Togo 12
17 67 Decrease 2  Botswana 4
*Local rankings based on WBSC ranking points

Historical leaders

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Highest Ranked Africa member in the WBSC Rankings

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "WBSC Africa Financial Statements" (PDF). WBSC Africa. 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "Members". WBSC Africa. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  3. ^ "Olympic Baseball: Cubs wins, intimidates U.S." UPI. September 23, 2000. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  4. ^ "Rodríguez jugará por Estados Unidos". El Nuevo Herald (in Spanish). Miami. January 5, 2006. p. 21. Retrieved June 4, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "South Africa". World Baseball Classic.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ^ "WBSC World Rankings". WBSC. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  7. ^ "Tunisia win Baseball5 African Championship, qualify for II WBSC Baseball5 World Cup with runner up South Africa". wbsc.org. World Baseball Softball Confederation. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "History of WBSC Africa". WBSC Africa. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  9. ^ "All Africa Games Baseball Tournament". baseball.ch. International Baseball Federation. Archived from the original on 20 December 2003. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  10. ^ "WBSC World Rankings". WBSC. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  11. ^ "The WBSC Women's Baseball World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  12. ^ "The WBSC Men's Softball World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  13. ^ "The WBSC Women's World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  14. ^ "The WBSC Baseball5 World Ranking". WBSC. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
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