LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Today at the WBSC headquarters, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari, Romanian Baseball and Softball Federation (FRBS) President Andrei Mirescu, and Alexandria City Hall Vice Mayor Ioan Augustin signed an MOU that outlines a tripartite collaboration for the boost of baseball and softball in Romania, while making of the city of Alexandria the country’s baseball/softball capital.

The City Hall of Alexandria will provide to the FRBS the land to carry on the construction of a baseball and softball facility, and will engage in institutional communications activities towards the educational system to facilitate FRBS’s promotional activities. Similar facilitation will be extended also to the clubs active in the territory of the municipality.

FRBS will establish a working group, supported by WBSC to develop development activities in the country. Activities will range from equipment to facility from grassroots participation to participation and hosting of international competitions.

“The advancement of baseball and softball in Europe is a key development target for us,” said WBSC President Fraccari. “The increased involvement and recognition from national authorities and city officials in Europe is a strong indicator of baseball and softball’s growing global popularity. And Eastern European countries can represent a invaluable reservoir of talented athletes for the future of our sport.”

The announcement follows news of construction recent projects in Spain and Switzerland, as baseball and softball’s reach continues to spread in Europe. At the global level, WBSC is seeking to grow the baseball/softball global community to 1 billion athletes and fans by 2030.

Currently Romania is ranked 43rd in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings and 19th in Europe.