2026 Japan Series
In short
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the 2026 Japan Series by defeating the Yokohama DeNA BayStars four games to nil. This victory marks the Hawks' 13th championship title.
In plain words
This is the final championship tournament for Japan's professional baseball leagues. The winner of the Central League plays the winner of the Pacific League in a best-of-seven series to decide the national champion.
A simple example
The SoftBank Hawks played four matches against the BayStars and won every single one to secure the trophy.
Why it matters
It determines the best baseball team in Japan for the season. It is the highest level of competition in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse this with the World Baseball Classic, which is an international tournament for national teams.