Two age-group Baseball European Championships have been awarded ©WBSC

Macerata in Italy has been awarded the hosting rights to this year's Under-18 Baseball European Championship.

Competition will take place between July 13 and 18 with 10 teams taking part.

They have been split into two groups with hosts Italy drawn with defending champions Netherlands in Group A.

France, Lithuania and Israel complete the group.

In Group B, Spain, Czech Republic, Ireland, Germany and Austria will lock horns.

The top two finishers at the event will qualify for the 2021 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Under-18 Baseball World Cup.

This will take place in Sarasota and Bradenton in the United States in September of next year.

Two sides from the event in Italy will qualify for the Under-18 World Cup ©WBSC
Two sides from the event in Italy will qualify for the Under-18 World Cup ©WBSC

It has also been confirmed that Mortsel in Belgium will host this year's Under-12 Baseball European Championship, from July 6 to 11.

Eight teams will take part, with defending champions Italy, Czech Republic, France and Hungary in Group A.

Hosts Belgium have been placed in Group B with Netherlands, Germany and Russia.

As with the under-18 event, the top two sides will qualify for the 2021 WBSC Under-12 World Cup.

This will take place in July next year in Tainan in Taiwan.