The wait is officially over for fastpitch fans. As the International Softball Congress (ISC) celebrates its historic 80th year of excellence, the pre-season rankings for the 2026 campaign have officially dropped.
With the 2026 ISC World Tournament scheduled to take over Melbourne, Ontario, this August, the roadmap to the championship is clear. Unsurprisingly, the defending champion Hill United Chiefs find themselves sitting comfortably at the top of the mountain. However, with a fiercely competitive pack of hungry Ontario and American squads chasing their heels, the 2026 season promises absolute fireworks.
Here is how the elite field shapes up heading into the opening weekend.
The Official 2026 ISC Pre-Season Top 24
| Rank | Team | Location |
| 1 | Hill United Chiefs | Ohsweken, ON |
| 2 | Bear Creek Gremlins | Chippewa of the Thames, ON |
| 3 | Bear Creek Express | Chippewa of the Thames, ON |
| 4 | NorthEast Drillers | Christiansburg, VA |
| 5 | JDT First Energy | Chippewa of the Thames, ON |
| 6 | Toronto Batmen | Toronto, ON |
| 7 | STK Fastball | Chase, BC |
| 8 | Team 518 | Amsterdam, NY |
| 9 | Saskatoon Jacks | Saskatoon, SK |
| 10 | Pueblo Bandits | Pueblo, CO |
| 11 | Sandlot Merchants | Stevens, PA |
| 12 | Waterdown Hammer | Burlington, ON |
| 13 | Chippewa Chiefs | Chippewa of the Thames, ON |
| 14 | Georgian Bay Giants | Wiarton, ON |
| 15 | Ohsweken Redmen | Ohsweken, ON |
| 16 | Kingston Axemen | Kingston, ON |
| 17 | Midland Explorers | Midland, MI |
| 18 | Sebringville Sting | Sebringville, ON |
| 19 | PA Storm | Stevens, PA |
| 20 | Toronto U23 Batmen | Toronto, ON |
| 21 | Townsend Tide | Townsend, ON |
| 22 | Walton Brewers | Walton, ON |
| 23 | New Hamburg Mustangs | New Hamburg, ON |
| 24 | St. Thomas Elgins | St. Thomas, ON |
Key Storylines to Watch
- The Chiefs Keep the Crown… For Now: The Hill United Chiefs return as the undisputed #1. Coming off their spectacular 2025 World Tournament victory, the target on their back has never been larger.
- The Chippewa of the Thames Dominance: If you want to talk about a regional powerhouse, look no further than Chippewa of the Thames, ON. They have an astonishing four teams featured in the Top 13, led by the Bear Creek Gremlins (#2) and the Bear Creek Express (#3). If anyone is primed to dethrone Hill United, it’s one of these rosters.
- American Threats: The NorthEast Drillers (#4) out of Christiansburg, VA, carry the highest banner for the US squads early on, closely followed by New York’s Team 518 (#8) and Colorado’s Pueblo Bandits (#10).
- The Next Generation: Keep a close eye on the Toronto U23 Batmen (#20). While their senior counterparts sit comfortably at #6, the U23 squad is loaded with young elite talent capable of playing giant-killer as the qualifier tournaments get underway.
Inside the Circle: With heavy hitters like the Sandlot Merchants and Team 518 already locking horns at early-season events like the Rodney Fox Memorial, these rankings will face a trial by fire before we even hit June.
The road to Melbourne is officially open. Who do you have making the biggest jump into the Top 10 this month? Let us know in the comments below!
