Honkbal = Dutch Baseball!
July 2026: Haarlem Baseball Week
Baseball…béisbol…yakyu…honkbal??
Honkbal is the Dutch word for baseball, and you’ll get plenty of it on our trip to the Netherlands to watch the biennial Honkbalweek Haarlem (Haarlem Baseball Week), a European baseball festival and tournament that is one of the true hidden gems of the global baseball scene.
Haarlem Baseball Week celebrates its 32nd year in 2026 and will feature some of the best national teams from around the world. Participating countries in recent tournaments include national teams from The Netherlands, USA, Japan, Taiwan, Cuba, Spain, Curacao, and Italy.
Teams play 2-3 games per day during round-robin play, leading to a climactic championship. Games are played at historic Pim Mulier Stadium in Haarlem, home to not just the local professional team (Kinheim Haarlem), but also the Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
You’ll get a taste of European culture and history, seen through a baseball lens. Haarlem, referred to as “Little Amsterdam,” is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. It has the culture and history of Amsterdam, but with more charm and less tourists. But let’s not kid ourselves – Amsterdam is one of the world’s greatest cities, and you will have plenty of opportunity to spend time there via an easy 10-15 minute light rail train!
Our tour offers lots of flexibility, so you can attend as many or as few games as you wish, and you can do sightseeing in Haarlem and Amsterdam at your leisure!
Holland is an underrated baseball country too. Their professional league – Honkbal Hoofdklasse – is the strongest in Europe. The Netherlands has a strong tradition of players from the mainland, including Hall-of-Famer Bert Blyleven, and their pro league and the national team are fortified with studs from the Dutch Indies (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao). Notable Netherlands national team alumni include Kenley Jansen, Wladimir Balentien, Andrelton Simmons, Xander Bogaerts, and Andruw Jones. And even Hank Aaron deemed the baseball scene worth a visit!
For an idea of what to expect, check out the videos above and below, as well as the recap and photo log from our past two editions of this biennial tour: 2022 and 2024. Don’t miss this ideal opportunity to experience a rich, niche baseball culture!Italy
Note: Whil