Baseball in the United Kingdom

Baseball is a growing, minor sport in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 22,500 people playing in 2020.

This article is about American code of baseball in the UK. For the traditional codes, in England, see English baseball. For those in Wales, see Welsh baseball. For historical use of the term baseball, see Origins of baseball.

Baseball in the United Kingdom
CountryUnited Kingdom
Governing bodyBritish Baseball Federation
National team(s)Men's national team
Women's national team
First played1862
National competitions
  • British Baseball Federation
    National League,
    AAA,
    AA and
    A divisions

The sport is governed by the British Baseball Federation, which runs a multi-tier national league. There are also independent regional leagues, and around 20 universities field teams currently in existence. At various times in history professionalism has existed, most notably the 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain.

In 1938 the Great Britain national baseball team won the Baseball World Cup, and were runners-up in the 1967 and 2007 European Baseball Championship. As of 2020 Great Britain competed internationally at under 12, under 15, under 18, under 23 and senior levels. The under 23 team placed fifth at the 2019 European Under 23 Baseball Championship.

Despite relatively low numbers of participation today, historically there have been a number of players born in the United Kingdom to have played in Major League Baseball. Of over 90 players who have played in MLB Danny Cox, Lance Painter and Bobby Thomson are most notable. Thomson hit the Shot Heard 'Round the World that took the New York Giants to the World Series in 1951.

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