Italy erased a three-run deficit in the eighth inning to stun the host Netherlands 4-3 and claim the 32nd Honkbalweek Haarlem title — capping a tournament that survived a record heat wave and a last-minute roster shakeup to deliver one of the best international baseball weeks in years.
If you weren't tracking it, you missed a great one. Honkbalweek Haarlem — Europe's premier international baseball showcase, now 32 editions deep — crowned its 2026 champion on July 4th at Pim Mulier Stadion in the Netherlands, a ballpark with as much history as any in the sport (it's also home to the Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame). The host Dutch squad looked like they had this one in hand, carrying a three-run lead into the final innings in front of a packed, energized crowd.
Six teams made up this year's field, including the Netherlands, Italy, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Curaçao, and a roster of international pros filling in for a withdrawn Dominican Republic squad. It's a tournament that doesn't get nearly enough attention stateside, but it's produced real talent over the years — a reminder of just how much baseball is thriving outside the U.S.
Weeks before the opening pitch, the Dominican Republic — set to make its first-ever Haarlem appearance — withdraws, citing funding constraints. Tournament organizers respond by bringing in the International Globetrotters, a barnstorming club of NCAA and European pro players assembled by Baseball Jobs Overseas. It's the second late defection of the year — five-time champion Japan had already pulled out in March.
The 32nd Honkbalweek Haarlem is set to open with Italy against Czechia, but the Netherlands issues its first-ever Code Red heat warning, with temperatures headed toward 40°C. The mayor of Haarlem postpones the afternoon opener to Tuesday, but the evening game goes on as scheduled — the host Netherlands taking the field against a brand-new addition to the tournament, the International Globetrotters.
The host Netherlands rolls through pool play, going 4-1 and out-scoring opponents behind a lineup that leads the tournament in offense. Italy answers with wins of its own, including a rain-shortened 2-0 pitchers' duel over the Dutch and a 3-1 win over the Globetrotters, setting up a collision course between the two clubs.
Netherlands 9, Chinese Taipei 1. A six-run first inning sends the host nation past the world's No. 2-ranked team and into Saturday's Gold-Medal Game against Italy — a rematch of two tight pool-play battles.
In front of a sellout crowd of 3,895, Dutch starter Kevin Kelly carries a shutout into the eighth inning, and the Netherlands nurse a 3-0 lead built by Marnix Ruben, Shervyën Newton, and Gedionne Marlin. Then Robel García steps to the plate for Italy and turns the whole tournament around with one swing — a three-run homer to right field that erases the deficit in an instant. Italy holds on, 4-3, for its third win over the Dutch in the tournament and the 2026 Honkbalweek Haarlem title.
Kingdom of the Netherlands — the host nation and reigning European champion, chasing a sixth Honkbalweek title in front of a home crowd. Italy — fresh off a 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinal run, the eventual champions. Chinese Taipei — ranked No. 2 in the world, returning from the 2024 edition. Czechia — a Honkbalweek debutant, stepping in for Japan after a bronze-medal finish at the 2025 European Championship. Curaçao — winners of the Caribbean Baseball Cup, back for another run. International Globetrotters — a barnstorming all-star club with no flag, assembled to replace the withdrawn Dominican Republic, built from NCAA talent and Americans playing across Europe's pro leagues.
Watching a lineup like the Netherlands' carry a lead into the eighth inning of a sellout gold-medal game, only to have it stripped away by one swing from the other dugout, is the kind of moment that doesn't translate on a highlight reel. You have to be in the stadium for it.
That's exactly the kind of international exposure that gets us fired up about the trips we build at Passport Sports. There's nothing like watching your own team compete on a stage like this — and nothing like giving your players a firsthand look at how the rest of the baseball world plays the game they love.