Host Mexico are the defending champions ©Getty Images

The Mexican cities of Ciudad Obregon and Los Mochis have been named as the hosts for the World Baseball Softball Confederation's upcoming men's Under-23 Baseball World Cup.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on September 30 of this year and reach its climax on October 9.

Hosts Mexico are the defending champions, having won the 2018 edition of the event in Colombia.

The Estadio Yaquis in Ciudad Obregon and Los Mochis's Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada - two stadiums usually home to Mexican Pacific League teams - will be used.

Twelve teams have qualified for the tournament, with Asia and the Americas both set to have four representatives.

Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua advanced form a regional qualifier, while Hosts Mexico qualified automatically.

China, Japan and Chinese Taipei were the top three teams at last year's Asian Baseball Championship, with fourth-placed South Korea given a wild-card spot at the Under-23 World Cup.

South Africa, New Zealand, Germany and the Czech Republic are also set to compete in Mexico.

This will be the third edition of the tournament, with the first - in 2016 - also held in Mexico and won by Japan.