The inaugural Under-23 Men's Softball World Cup starts in Argentina tomorrow, with the hosts being favourites ©WBSC

Argentina, re-allocated the hosting of the inaugural World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Under-23 Men's Softball World Cup, are also favourites to win it, as the delayed event is set to begin tomorrow.

The hosts, who were originally due to stage the event, postponed from 2021 and then 2022, are top seeds.

Matches are set to be played at the Nafaldo Cargnel Stadium in Paraná.

The line-up of 12 teams will be split into two qualifying groups, with the top three teams advancing to the Super Round.

Canada, ranked second in the world and fresh from a drawn series against the United States, have been awarded a wildcard place.

Argentina are in Group A with Australia, Czechia, Mexico, South Africa and Singapore.

The hosts are able to field an experienced side that includes two players who were in the winning Men’s Softball World Cup team in Alan Peker and Gian Scialacomo, and a total of 13 players with experience in past Under-18 Men’s Softball World Cups.

Home fans will be hoping they can live up to their position as favourites by reaching the medal games due to be played on April 23.

But Australia, ranked fourth in the world, will provide strong early opposition.

Winners of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup last December, Australia also played in the last two finals of the Under-18 World Cup, winning the Championship in 2018 and taking a silver medal in 2020.

Rising star Jack Besgrove, a dominant figure during Australia’s world title campaign in Auckland last year, will be influential.

As the top-ranked European nation, Czechia, sixth in the world, has shown Championship credentials in the recent past, winning a historic bronze medal at the WBSC Under-18 Men's Softball World Cup 2020.

The European champions have 10 veterans from the senior team in the last World Cup, and four medallists from 2020, including pitcher Jakub Osicka in their squad.

In Group B five Canadian players are veterans of the under-19 team that finished fourth in the 2018 World Cup - Dallas Kipfer, Isaac Lefebvre, Riley Manion, Jordan Pomeroy and Owen Torrie.

Japan, world-ranked third, have played the last two finals of the Under-18 World Cup, losing in 2018 and winning in 2020, both times against Australia.

The reigning Asian champions have seven members of the 2018 silver-medal under-19 team and two players that claimed the 2020 under-18 world title.

World-ranked sixth placed New Zealand aim to rebound after disappointing outcomes in the last two World Cups as hosts, finishing fifth in the Under-18 World Cup 2020 and eighth in the senior World Cup last December.