World number one Japan will meet world number three Mexico in the opening match of the WBSC Under-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan ©Getty Images

The schedule for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Under-12 Baseball World Cup, to be hosted in Tainan, will see Japan, the world number one team, meeting world number three Mexico on the opening day of July 28.

As the match takes place at Asia-Pacific Main Stadium, Panama, the world number 14, will take on world number 10 Dominican Republic at Asia-Pacific Field II, with both games starting at 11am local time.

The WBSC Under-12 Baseball World Cup is the only global event across baseball - and all of sport - to feature national teams in this age group.

The two-group opening round is set to run from July 28 to August 1.

The schedule for the 2023 WBSC Under-12 Baseball World Cup pits world number one Japan against world number three Mexico in the opening match on July 28 ©WBSC
The schedule for the 2023 WBSC Under-12 Baseball World Cup pits world number one Japan against world number three Mexico in the opening match on July 28 ©WBSC

It will be followed by the super round and placement round, scheduled for August 3 and 5 respectively.

The medal games are scheduled to take place on August 6 at Asia Pacific Main Stadium.

The defending champions and current world number two team United States will take on world number 16 Czech Republic in Group B in the second games to be played on the opening day.

That match will take place at the Asia-Pacific Main Stadium at 2.30pm local time, while world number five team South Korea take on New Zealand, ranked 45th in the world, in Group B at Asia-Pacific Field II.

Group A comprises Australia, hosts Chinese Taipei, who won this event when it started in 2011 and again in 2019, Germany, Japan, Mexico and Venezuela.

Group B contains Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, New Zealand, Panama and defending champions the United States, who have won the biennial event - which has always been hosted either in Taipei or Tainan - four times.