The groups were confirmed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) with 50 days to go to the start of the tournament in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

A total of 13 teams will contest the Championships, with the contenders having been split into two groups.

New Zealand and Canada will headline Group B, with the teams ranked one and two in the world respectively.

They are joined by the United States and the Czech Republic in the six team group, which will see four teams progress to the knock-out stage.

Guatemala and Hong Kong are the underdogs to advance from Group B, with the two teams making the World Championship debuts.

Group A will see world number three ranked Japan, with the defending champions starting as the favourites to progress to the next round.

They will face competition from Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Denmark, South Africa and India.

"This global showcase will feature the top young under-19 men's softball players in the world and National Teams from five continents," said Tommy Velazquez, WBSC softball division chairman.

"The hosts in Prince Albert are ready to roll out an exciting world stage for these elite athletes, who will have 54 games to prove who's the best in the world."

The Championships will begin on July 7 at the Prince Albert's Max Power Ball Parks, with seven matches set to take place.

Mexico’s clash with Denmark will be the first match, although an Opening Ceremony will follow later in the day.

Canada will take on rivals United States immediately after the Ceremony.

The Championships will conclude on July 15 with gold and bronze medal matches.

The WBSC state tickets are now on sale for the tournament, featuring early bid specials.

Children under the age of 12, accompanied by their parent, are free of charge.

Japan beat Argentina in the 2016 final.