The 65th National Baseball Series kicked off this Sunday, featuring 16 teams and a trimmed schedule of 44 games per team. This edition introduces a zonal format aimed at cutting down travel and fuel costs amidst Cuba's ongoing energy crisis.
The qualifying phase will run until December 22, with the 16 teams divided into two major geographic zones—West and East—and further split into four groups of four teams each, according to JIT.
Each team will compete in 24 games against opponents within their group and an additional 20 against teams from the neighboring group within the same zone. Notably, there will be no matchups between Western and Eastern teams during the regular season; those encounters are saved exclusively for the national finals.
The groupings are as follows: In the West, Group A consists of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Isla de la Juventud, and Industriales, while Group B includes Mayabeque, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, and Villa Clara. In the East, Group C features Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, and Las Tunas, and Group D comprises Holguín, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo.
This new format directly addresses the logistical hurdles posed by Cuba's prolonged energy crisis, which has led to power generation deficits ranging from 1,300 to 1,840 MW in recent times, complicating and increasing the cost of interprovincial transport. The plan, as organizers put it, aims to "reduce travel and better manage resources, especially fuel."
Impact of the Revised Schedule
The tighter schedule does come with a sporting downside: it offers less recovery time for teams experiencing a slump during a significantly shorter qualifying phase compared to previous editions.
The postseason also brings changes. The zonal playoffs will adopt the Page system, with best-of-three series held at the home stadium of the higher-seeded team. In each zone, the first-place team will face the second, while the third will play the fourth. The winner between the top two advances directly to the zonal final, while the loser gets another chance against the winner of the third-versus-fourth matchup.
The champions from the West and East will then face off in a national final series, contested over seven games.
This tournament follows the triumph of the Matanzas Crocodiles in the 64th National Series, where they swept Las Tunas 4-0 in the final held in February of this year, concluding that postseason with a record of 12-2 and a run differential of +58. As the reigning champions of the 64th SNB, the Crocodiles are a team to watch in this new edition, although it is the titleholder of the 65th SNB who will earn the right to represent Cuba in the 2027 Baseball Champions League.
Key Aspects of the 65th National Baseball Series
What is the new format for the 65th National Baseball Series?
The series adopts a zonal format with 16 teams split into two geographic zones, West and East, and further divided into four groups. Teams play within their groups and zones, with no inter-zonal games until the finals.
How does the new schedule address Cuba's energy crisis?
The revised schedule reduces travel and fuel consumption by limiting games to geographic zones, which helps manage resources better amidst Cuba's energy shortages.
What changes have been made to the postseason format?
The postseason will use the Page system with best-of-three series in the higher-seeded team's stadium. Winners advance through a structured playoff to determine zonal champions.