The format will remain the same from last season with three regional groups being contested before a global play-off.

This year will see the Croatian Knights enter the European group, joining the British Lionhearts, Italia Thunder and France Fghting Roosters, whilst a team from India will join last year's World Super Series champions Astana Arlans from Kazakhstan, Russia's Patriot Boxing Team and China Dragons in the Asian Group.

Croatian Knights general manager Mladen Mikolcevic said: "We are delighted to have a Croatian team making its debut in the World Series of Boxing for the first time in season eight.

"The competition is part of our strategy to help our boxers to secure a successful Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification pathway.

"Several members of the side have already amassed significant WSB experience with the likes of British Lionhearts and Astana Arlans and will be sharing that precious know-how with their team-mates, allowing Croatian Knights to go into the competition confident of making a big impact and progressing through to the play-offs."

AIBA interim President Franco Falcinelli added: "In terms of the quality and excitement of boxing on show, entertainment and production levels and our global audience reach, WSB season seven set new standards for our sport.

"In season eight, we can now go even further, with India's vast and growing appetite for boxing adding a new dimension to the 2018 competition and the Croatian Knights bringing with them all of that great nation’s boxing history."

The Americas group will contain last year's silver medalists the Cuba Domadores, Colombia Heroicos and Caciques Venezuela.

Argentina Condors, who finished bottom of the group last season, will not feature in the next campaign.

Registration has now closed for the 11 teams to sign-up foreign boxers for next season with 196 athletes confirmed from 42 different countries, including champions and medallists from the 2017 AIBA World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.

The teams now have the opportunity to recruit domestic boxers who compete at both national and international level until mid-January with the final line-ups confirmed shortly afterwards.

Astana Arlans general manager Savat Abildin, whose team won a record third title last year, is excited about the upcoming season.

"After the dramatic season seven final, Astana Arlans are preparing to make history and assert ourselves once more on the WSB competition," he said.

"The boxers love the format and it has helped them develop and grow as athletes and the competition has truly brought boxing to new audiences.

"The team is preparing to defend the title we won last year against Cuba Domadores and we are confident that we can reach our fifth final."

The event will be streamed on WSB social media channels throughout the year.