The tournament is due to be staged from September 1 until 10.

The 12 qualified countries have been drawn into two groups of six and will begin the tournament with a round-robin.

Group B consists of the US, the three-time defending champions, Japan, Cuba, Mexico, The Netherlands and South Africa.

Hosts Canada have been drawn in group A alongside South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Italy and Nicaragua.

The twelve competing nations have advanced from various Continental Championships.

Australia, Japan, The Netherlands, South Africa and the US all won their respective regional qualifying Championships in Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Chinese Taipei and South Korea finished second and third respectively in Asia.

Cuba, Mexico and Nicaragua placed second, third and fourth in the Americas.

The Italian team finished second in Europe and Canada was given an automatic place in the group stage as hosts. 

The top three finishers from each group will advance to the super round group stage.

The winner of the World Cup will receive 575 world ranking points.

Port Arthur Stadium, which holds 3,000 people, is due to act as the main venue in Thunder Bay.

The Under-18 Baseball World Cup has featured players who have gone on to become some of the biggest names in the sport.

Mickey Moniak of the US was the first player selected in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft while other stars have been drafted in the first round of Nippon Professional Baseball, Chinese Professional Baseball League and Korea Baseball Organisation League.

Florida Marlins' 2015 first-round pick, Josh Naylor, helped lead the Canadian team at the 2015 edition and was named in the WBSC All-World Team.

Some of the players may also feature at Tokyo 2020 when baseball makes its return to the Olympic programme after a 12-year absence.