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An elevated view of the Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2024 U-23 Baseball World Cup opened on Sept 6 at the Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province.

This year's tournament brings together 12 of the world's top baseball teams from across five continents, battling for the gold, silver, and bronze medals, along with nine individual awards.

The opening day saw six thrilling games, with teams like South Korea, Japan, and Great Britain taking the field. In the final match of the day, Team China faced off against Great Britain, securing a 5-3 victory in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. The Chinese team's win marks a promising start to the nine-day competition, which will feature 50 games in total.

This is the first time the U-23 Baseball World Cup has been hosted on the Chinese mainland, adding to Shaoxing’s growing reputation as a hub for international baseball and softball events.

The Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center, the largest venue of its kind in China, was built to meet international standards and served as the venue for baseball and softball events at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.

In recent years, Shaoxing has launched the "Baseball and Softball into Schools" initiative. This program has expanded from 32 to 82 participating schools since 2022, with plans to reach over 100 schools by 2025.

The tournament will run until September 15, with teams vying for the world championship title.