Each match will contain five fights in five different weight categories - 49 kilogram, 56kg, 64kg, 75kg and 91kg.

The first match of the season will see Italia Thunder host debutants Croatian Knights at Pala Mandela Stadium in Florence, with the Italian team looking to build on the good home record they established last season.

The Knights, however, will be hoping to establish themselves on their first competition appearance.

France Fighting Roosters, who won the first-ever WSB title, will take on British Lionhearts at Salle Wagram in Paris in the second Group Europe match.

The clash between two of the favourites in Group Europe could go a long way to deciding who eventually comes out on top.

The single Group America match should also be a close contest with Cuba Domadores taking on Colombia Heroicos in Havana.

Former champions Cuba have several Olympic gold medal winners in their squad including London 2012 champion Robeisy Ramírez, who will compete in the 56kg category, and current Olympic champion Arlen Lopez, who will fight in the 75kg contest.

Colombia, however, have significant pedigree of their own and defeated the Domadores twice last season.

The WSB season sees 12 teams compete in three regional groups - America, Europe and Asia - in home and away best-of-five matches.

Following the conclusion of the group stage matches, the top two teams from each group and the two strongest third-place teams will qualify for the quarter-finals.

Astana Arlans of Kazakhstan, who compete in the Asian group, are the defending WSB champions.