Het toernooi wordt gespeeld onder auspiciën van de International Baseball Federation (IBAF) en is geïnitieerd door de Major League Baseball, de "Major League Baseball Players Association" en andere professionele baseballcompetities en hun spelersorganisaties over de hele wereld. ###>It was proposed to the IBAF by Major League Baseball (MLB), the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world.