The European Softball Federation is introducing European Softball Rankings for women’s and men’s fastpitch and also for slowpitch! 

Two months ago, the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Softball Division (WBSC SD) released a first-ever world ranking for softball across both men’s and women’s disciplines. 

However, the rankings only included countries that were represented at the two most recent World Championships, so only five women’s national teams and three men’s teams from Europe were placed.

The European Softball Federation is now introducing European Softball Rankings for women’s and men’s fastpitch and also for slowpitch.

The ESF ranking system evaluates countries according to their Senior National Team results, but also takes into account Youth National Team attendance at European Championships.  So this system produces rankings that reflect a combination of competition achievement and softball development. (Past results from all ESF Championships are available here.) 

Hopefully, these rankings can help National Federations to be more effective at finding funding sources and establishing partnerships.  They can also work as a tool to promote softball national teams in every country.

Gabriel Waage, the ESF’s First Vice President, said: “We’re hoping that because this system takes softball development into account, it will encourage all European countries to work on including more categories in their national team programmes.  Men’s rankings will expand after this year’s Championship and, hopefully, we’ll also be also able to have an U-16 European Championship for boys in the near future.  A simple attendance at any Championship can move a softball nation higher in the rankings.”

How the ESF ranking system works:

There will be three rankings: for women’s fastpitch, men’s fastpitch and slowpitch.

Rankings will based on points (multipied by 100) given according to final standings at European Championships in all categories, with the following weighting:

·       Senior European Championship – 100%

·       Junior European Championship – 50%

·       All others (U22 and U16) – 25%

The ranking system will only take into account the two most recent Championships in each category, with the following weighting:

·       Most recent ECh – 100%

·       Previous ECh – 50%

A total of all the points awarded will determine the placement of each country in each ranking.

-Helena Novotná-